Kowalski Kronicles

Success!

2008-11-29T19:42:00.000-08:00

The trip was uneventful, Mason and Grant were troopers, and my family was completely taken off guard! I love that they had no idea. The look on my moms face when we pulled up next to her and my sister at a gas station was priceless! Convincing my dad to come back into 'town' for dinner was a little more difficult. Once he arrived (amidst much grumbling), the surprise was enjoyed all over again! That was a great start to a very harried trip. Tim ended up having to work a 1/2 day on Friday which required him to drive 1 1/2 hours Thanksgiving morning (at 3 a.m.) to the closest airport. His return flight left immediately after work on Friday. Well, to make a VERY long story short...he missed his flight. So there I was in Virginia, with two boys, and no car.(It was in long-term parking at the airport, and I didn't have the claim ticket.) They put him on stand-by, but the next flight didn't leave Metro until 9:45p.m. that night. On top of that, he wasn't allowed to leave the airport because he didn't have a boarding pass. They couldn't even confirm that if he waited all day for the next flight, that there would be room for him. Needless to say, Tim became very familiar with Detroit Metro. He ended up on the next plane out, and arrived in Virginia safely. 1 1/2 hours away still. So at 2 o'clock in the morning he finally arrived at my parents house. How he found his way there in the dark, I will never know. Later that day, we packed the car, said our good-byes and headed north. The boys and I felt guilty having such a relaxing and enjoyable time while Tim was going through "you-know-what". My mom swears that he will never bring us back, and I've been too scared to broach the subject! But all in all it was terrific seeing everyone and spending time with my family. But if you ask Tim, his version might not be so pleasant...

Surprises Up Our Sleeves!

2008-11-24T19:17:00.000-08:00

We have decided to arrive unannounced for Thanksgiving in Virginia! Are we crazy?? Maybe. I will let you know after we travel 10 hours in a car with a four month old. The decision was made spontaneously, we're not even sure that my family doesn't have alternative plans for the holiday. For instance, wouldn't it be funny if they were planning to surprise us in Michigan??? (That is said 'tongue-in-cheek' and with much sarcasm.) As I have stated before, I am not a huge fan of surprises, and envision many things going wrong on this trip. But, I am going to jump into this plan with gusto and appreciate the fact that my wonderful husband is willing to make all the arrangements necessary to pull this off. I will post further once we arrive and are crying tears of joy or dismay.

Halloween Havoc!

2008-10-31T08:55:00.000-07:00

I've only got one word ...CHAOS! We can't figure out when we all got so many kids. How did it happen??? We used to get together and act like kids ourselves, and now there is no time for that because we are chasing after our offspring! Don't get me wrong...I am definitely not complaining! It is just a sight to behold, and definitely not one for the faint of heart! If you think I am kidding, let me throw some numbers at you. Adults: 17 Kids: 18 (all under the age of 10) As you can see, we were severely outnumbered because all parents know there needs to be a 2:1 ratio when it comes to 'out-of-control sugar induced holidays'! All of this took place in the Dodsons house - bless them! We made it through with very few tears and only a couple meltdowns and many laughs and good times!

Nana's Have Suprises Too!

2008-10-09T08:27:00.000-07:00

Needless to say, my mom couldn't stand the fact that she hadn't seen us in 2 1/2 months. And by "us", I mean Grant and Mason. So on October 9th, my mom flew in for a week to visit! It was a wonderful week, crammed full of memories. We have realized that that is how we have to do it since they live in Virginia....just do as much as we can in a short period of time. We had lunch together, shopped, went to Apple Charlies, watched flag football, visited with Gram and the rest of the family, made a yummy roast, got my hair cut off, and in our spare time, she proceeded to smooch off Mason and Grants cheeks! It was a great surprise for Grant - I picked her up from the airport and we went right to his school to get him. She was sitting in the back seat with Mason (that tells you where I rate now - chauffeur!), and he saw luggage in the front seat. Once I calmed all of his fears that I wasn't going away, he opened the back door and launched himself across the back seat, including Mason! We were all so happy to have her here. I still haven't got used to the fact that they don't live here anymore, and it's always bittersweet when they have to leave, but we treasure the time that we do have together.

Grandparents Day was Great!

2008-09-26T07:46:00.000-07:00

Grandparents Day...A day our children celebrate the people who were once normal, until their children had children. I'm pretty sure my parents aren't the only people who have been afflicted with this condition. I have witnessed my friends parents also experiencing strange behavioral changes, such as baby talk, weird faces, totally 'unpractical' purchases, and dropping whatever they are doing to accommodate, etc. I have to admit the first time I saw my pretty reserved father on the floor rolling around with Grant, and talking 'baby' with Mason, it was a shock to my system! It was easier to accept with my mom, who had acted silly around babies for as long as I could remember, but my dad???!!! As the years flew by, I watched Grant and my dad form a bond that blessed my heart. My mom and Grant have a different type of special relationship, which only Nana's and grandsons can have. Papa Kowalski doesn't usually act as silly as my parents, but he is totally hands-on and involved, and Grant loves him dearly. So, on this day that celebrates the selfless people that are Grandparents, Grant's school had a program to honor them. Papa Kowalski was supposed to be working, and unable to make it, but he skipped out early so he could be there. My dad drove up from Virginia to attend, because the invitation Grant sent him and Nana broke his heart. Then there was poor Nana who was left behind to work and hold down the fort! Don't worry, she heard all about the program from my dad, who I'm sure didn't rub it in at all! The kids did a great job and we got to see their classrooms afterward. The only downside was Mason, who had got shots that morning, and was in a foul mood. But I guess that is part of being a grandparent too!

I Guess Surprises Can Be Good!

2008-09-25T19:32:00.000-07:00

I usually hate surprises! I know, I know, pretty strong language, but I really don't like to be surprised. Today was an exception. As I left Beckys house, running late as usual, I headed for the school to pick up Grant. When I got there I was pretty fired up to see him running around outside with his friends. He is supposed to be kept indoors until I pick him up. That is when I saw my dad walking across the parking lot towards me! He had driven all the way from Virginia that morning to surprise us!! I started crying so hard that a fellow mother got out of her car to ask me if I was O.K. I think she thought dad was upsetting me! After I got myself under control, I explained that I didn't think I would see my parents until Christmas, and I was totally shocked! I'm usually pretty intuitive about things, and can at least guess if something is going on, but this time I did not have a clue. Anyways, he had made the trip so he would be able to go to Grandparents Day at Grants school on Friday! (And of course, he missed Mason and Tim and I terribly!) We had a wonderful visit that passed way too quickly...he had to leave Sunday to go home :( My mom wasn't able to get away from work and was very jealous of all the stuff we crammed into just a few short days. So I guess there are some surprises that are worth not knowing about :)!!

Flag Football

2008-09-11T18:57:00.000-07:00

I have now truly entered a season of our lives that I can honestly say I DO NOT UNDERSTAND!!! Football has always been a "foreign" sport to me. I don't understand "downs" or really anything else about it. Tim has tried many times to explain, and just like euchre, it doesn't click. I have been lucky so far that Grant has had no desire to play this particular sport, until now. Tim has introduced him to "flag football" and he loves it! His only conditions were that he wouldn't have to wear all the pads and that he wouldn't have to tackle anyone. (Or be tackled :) Well this particular version of the game fits all of his criteria, and he is doing great! I really don't understand what is going on most of the time, but I am a mother through and through, and I can cheer with the best of them! Tim is helping out as an assistant coach...a fact that Grant is ecstatic about. It is so fun to watch "my boys" out on the field together. I'm sure that in another couple of years, Mason will join them out there!
The one thing that I do still struggle with is the terminology. For example, when Grant told me he had "blitzed" and "juked" a player from the other team, I thought that maybe I should go apologize to the poor child's parent. Grant and my dad reassured me that these were both "good" things and there was no need to make amends. Oh well, I am still learning. I'm sure this will not be the last time that I have to learn something new as we continue to raise our children...

Surprise Aunt Diane!

2008-09-04T10:31:00.000-07:00

We had a great time at the Longhorn restaurant for Aunt Diane's surprise 50th birthday party! There were so many friends there and she got a lot of nice gifts. Of course everyone went crazy over Mason, and he was smooched so many times, I thought the lipstick marks were permanent! I think this was the first time that Grant realized that he wasn't the "baby" anymore - but he handled it pretty well :)

Lazy Labor Day!

2008-09-01T10:13:00.000-07:00

It was so nice to get out of the house and spend some time with friends. We went to Kevin and Mindy's and the Johns familly came over too. We ate way too much and Alli made an attempt to sample every one of the desserts! She was definitely on a sugar high! The boys decided to play baseball, kids versus dads, and it kept us laughing all afternoon. The highlight of the day was Grant striking out Tim, not once but twice! Even Mason enjoyed all the fresh air. We went home very full and very tired, but with even more great memories!

First Day in the Third Grade!

2008-08-25T10:43:00.000-07:00

School has begun! For reasons I don't think I need to explain, this summer has flown by. I don't feel ready for school to be starting already, and needless to say, Grant doesn't either. He was very happy to see all of his friends, and he even has four new kids in his class. This year, parents aren't supposed to walk their kids to class and help them get situated, so they can develop independence. Tim says that I have to cut the apron strings and let him go on his own :( Well, third grade, here we come, ready or not!

The Many Faces of Grant and Mason!

2008-08-20T09:37:00.000-07:00

They say a picture is worth a thousand words!

Brotherly Love

2008-08-10T09:21:00.000-07:00

Grant has wanted a baby brother for many years now. He has patiently waited, prayed, asked Santa, asked the Easter Bunny, and asked for one for his birthday. Now that Mason is here, Grant can't get enough of him! He is such a huge helper, and does anything I ask except change diapers! One day in Meijer, he looked at me as he pushed Mason in the cart and stated, "Life is so much better with Mason!" Well, after I stopped blubbering about what a tender heart he has, I realized once again, how much our family has been blessed, and how God's timing is so perfect! I am so grateful for all three of my "boys" and how they make my life so great!

The Whole Story...

2008-07-27T19:50:00.000-07:00

For those of you who haven't already heard the story, I thought I would share it because I think it is pretty amusing.

The day was a regular one. Nothing special. I babysat Alli and we ran errands with Grant most of the day. Once Mindy picked up Alli, we went to Moe's (as usual) for dinner. Ran into an old friend, told him I was due "any minute now", even though I was two weeks early and nothing was "going on" at my doctors appointment the day before. Well, we went home and I felt a little nauseous so I told Tim I was going to take a shower and go to bed. This was unusual because I had been feeling great up until that point. So, after my shower as I was heading to our bedroom, I felt (I swear you could hear it) a pretty powerful "POP". I'm sure that is self explanatory. After running back into the bathroom, I calmly informed Tim that my water had broken. He proceeded to stare at me and ask repeatedly if I was sure while Grant stood there telling me I had forgot to pull my underwear down before sitting on the pot! We decided to call Dr. Singh (who was at the movies with his son), in the meantime I had been timing my contractions which had picked up considerably since my water had broken. They seemed to be about six minutes apart, but what did I know. I had to get out 'What To Expect When You're Expecting' to figure out how to time contractions! We had planned on waiting for my aunt to come stay with Grant but I made the executive decision to haul "you know what" to the hospital and have her meet us there. Poor Tim had to run around the house getting our stuff together and layering the car seat with towels because I was busy trying to remember how to breathe, and reassuring Grant that I felt great at the same time. For those of you who have, or have had, an eight year old, they are pretty astute. I did a pretty good acting job if I do say so myself! By the time we actually got out the door, because all of you know we have a very hard time being on time anywhere we go, my contractions were four minutes apart. As we sped (and I do mean sped!) toward Wyandotte, with Grant informing Tim that he was going "pretty fast", and trying to call from memory all the people we had promised we would call, my contractions came one after another. I even had to hang up on my mom in the middle of one! After that, I envisioned her leaping into their car and flying like the wind all the way from Virginia! Well in my opinion, this is when things really got interesting. We pulled up to the emergency entrance and I attempted to get out of the car in the middle of a contraction. A kindly soul who was waiting to be seen in emergency saw my plight, and that Tim was trying to hold me up and console Grant at the same time, and brought us a wheelchair! Tim ran me through the doors and declared to one and all, "My wife is in labor!!!!" The emergency room attendant, who had probably seen many hysterical fathers-to-be, proceeded to ignore us while finishing reading his magazine article. Then in a VERY bored voice asked if he could help us. I told him my water had broken, I was 38 weeks pregnant, and as of the time that I left home, my contractions were four minutes apart. Well, we finally had his full attention! He ran around the desk, all the while yelling he was headed up to the maternity ward and telling Tim to hurry, park the car and meet us up stairs! I seriously felt like we were in a movie, as he whisked me down the hallway to the elevators, and upstairs to triage. I truly believe that he was terrified that I was going to deliver right then and there! He was so glad to ditch me, all I saw was his back as he hauled back down the hallway to safety! Things started jumpin' once the nurses confirmed that I was almost dilated to 7 cm.! By that point, my aunt and uncle were ready to take Grant home, but he was too worried to leave me. So, we had to time his visit between my contractions which were about two minutes apart by now. The nurse hustled him in to my room, I hugged him, smiled a lot, told him everything was O.K., gave him a smooch, and before the next one started, she hustled him back out!!! A very coordinated effort on our part if I do say so myself! Once he was safely on his way, I felt able to concentrate on the matter at hand! Then one thing led to another, and Mason was born at 2:24 a.m., July 26th. The cord was wrapped around his neck three times, so we had a small scare, until...man can he scream! (and he hasn't stopped since :) I can't believe he is finally here, healthy, and a part of our little Kowalski clan! We are so blessed!!!

He's Finally Here!!!

2008-07-26T19:34:00.000-07:00

Mason James Kowalski has arrived!! He came two weeks early and is beautiful and healthy! He weighs 8 lbs. and is 20 in. long. We couldn't be happier to welcome him into our family!

The Big and Small of it...

2008-07-25T19:24:00.000-07:00

All throughout my pregnancy I have considered the age difference between my boys. It never hit home that I was truely starting over until one day I was doing laundry, and this is what I saw...(it's a good thing Tim's shirt wasn't hanging up there too, or else it may have been too much to handle :)

9 Months

2008-07-24T19:01:00.000-07:00

I'm still feeling great! I haven't quite reached the stage where I am "over" being pregnant. I was mowing the other day, and all of our neighbors kept yelling at Tim! He finally had to go in the house because they were making him feel bad for "making" me mow. No one would believe us that I really just wanted to do yard work. Anyways, I guess the time will be coming soon. The fact that we will be meeting our "newest" son soon is so exciting!

Papaw

2008-07-21T18:59:00.000-07:00

This morning my papaw passed away. He has been in a nursing home for many years now and although I know he is in a much better place where his mind and body are whole, that doesn't completely take away the pain of losing him. He went down hill so quickly, that many of our family members weren't able to say goodbye. We will miss him and cherish all of our memories - him delivering mail for many years, him coaching womens softball at Gilead, his never ending "sweet tooth", devotions that lasted FOREVER when I spent the night, the night he told me his "life story" at a hockey game, his "selective hearing", and so much more...His memorial service was on Thursday the 24th at Solid Rock Church and was very touching. The Honor Guard was there for his service in the war and presented my grandmother with a flag. We sang some of his favorite hymns and Uncle Tim and Pastor Rick told of his life. Besides the fact that my mom wasn't able to be there, the service was a fitting tribute. I love you papaw, and I know that I will see you again one day in Heaven but until then know that I treasure the legacy you left behind.

Partnership Basketball

2008-07-13T18:30:00.000-07:00

The next big "event" in our lives was partnership basketball at church. This year was so different than last year, with respect to Grant. I'm not sure where he got all of his confidence, but it was a great change. For example, last year he cried when he was fouled in one of his games...not because he was hurt, mind you, but because people were looking at him!!! This year, from game one, he was all over the court - playing defense, making shots, stealing the ball, etc. One coach even made a comment to me about his team having to "double-team" the player on the opposing team. I just smiled and nodded until he pointed out to me that he was talking about Grant! The season was over before we knew it, and Grant is already talking about next year.

Is My Baby REALLY 8 Years Old???

2008-07-11T07:43:00.000-07:00

Tuesday, July 8, 2008

How can it be??? Has time really flown by me that quickly that one day I woke up and my baby is a self-sufficient eight year old? Apparently I am not 20-something with a little tike anymore, but 30-something (I know, gasp out loud!) with a son who can read on his own, get dressed by himself, and usually only needs me for food or money. You always hear people say, "Time Flies", and your kids are grown before you can blink. I seriously have always considered this a gross exaggeration of the truth - now I know better! Anyways, I digress...It has been a long-standing family (and friends!) joke that Grant tends to have 'over-the-top' birthday parties. His Uncle Mike affectionately calls it "Grants birthday week", which is usually pretty close to the truth. I guess since his first party started out with such a "bang" (120 family/friends invited - and no, I am not kidding:), it has been hard to top over the years. We have celebrated in Tennessee, at bowling alleys, at (dreaded) Chuck E. Cheese, at Nana and Papa's (before they moved to Virginia), and various other locations. This year was a little different...his birthday was here before we knew it! One morning he woke up and calmly informed me that he would be eight in 3 DAYS!!! 3 days??? Who can plan a party in that short of time??? Well, I guess when push comes to shove - we can! Luckily he decided that he would like to bowl again this year (breathe sigh of relief). On Sunday, July 6th, Tim frantically ran all over downriver trying to find a location that was available on his actual birthday, the 8th. By that evening, tired and down, but not out, he found a place we had never been before, but it was nice, and lets face it, available! Family and friends were called immediately (no time for invitations), cake was ordered from Sam's, and we grabbed ice cream at Kroger on the way! Considering the haste in which the party was organized, it went off without a hitch! Actually, that's not completely true since I had contractions, pain and pressure almost the whole evening. But once again, my beloved family and friends (and especially my wonderful husband, who organized very well, I might add), stepped up and took charge. Grant never knew anything was amiss! That was my biggest concern - ruining his party - not to mention, having two children on the same day. So anyways, here are some pics of the action.

P.S. (Do you say P.S. in a blog??) My gram is being released from the hospital this morning!!!(Friday, July 11th) She sounds wonderful on the phone and is very excited to get home. Her physical and occupational therapy will continue three days a week - but they will come to her at her apartment. A nurse also will be coming to check up on her. She says the pain is almost 100% better - she knows the surgery pain will get better each day. My cousin is supposed to be staying with her for a little while to help out, and that puts all of our minds at ease!! Once again, thank you for praying for her. She is so important to our family!!

Our son has a name!!!!!

2008-07-10T22:08:00.000-07:00

We have kept you all guessing long enough. So without further ado get ready to welcome the newest addition to the Kowalski Family ..... Nimrod Lonzo Kowalski. I know what your thinking - how did we come up with such a hip (Wow! I am starting to sound like Amos) and unique name? As most of you know Grant's middle name is Edward - after my father and it is also my middle name. In the many months, days, hours, and minutes we spent discussing names for our second son - we knew we wanted to stick with names that have been in our families but we also wanted biblical names. So now you are probably thinking - what happened to that plan? Well Nimrod IS in the bible and it means "warrior" (at least that is what Amos told me), and even though Lonzo is not in the bible it's really going to make someone think before they tease him about his first name. I think I read that Lonzo stands for "watch out because I can go Kimbo Slice on ya at any time". (If your not sure what that means - check him out on YouTube)
Your probably wondering what happened to our plan of "family names"? Well as Amy told you in her previous post - we attended my family (on my mom's side) reunion over the Fourth of July weekend. It really is a special time that we enjoy each year to see family we do not see often enough. This year my cousin Sandra's husband Ric presented each of the families with a very detailed history of the Warman-Ross family tree. Now I do not remember exactly where they fit into the tree(I am waiting on my own copy of the history - so I do not have it in front of me) but both Nimrod and Lonzo are part of my family. You do not even know how thrilled Amy was when she came across this in the pages of my families history.
So after much debate, and countless names that nobody else liked, we have found our winner. So please join us in welcoming Nimrod Lonzo into the world...well not yet, but according to Amy(after she consults with Mariah) it's gonna be any day now. And I thought I had until August 10th to get his and Grant's rooms ready. I guess I better get back to work.

P.S. I really do want to thank Ric for all the time and hard work he put into researching our family history, and compiling it all into a book. Thanks Ric - I really appreciate everything you did.

Ross-Warman Family Reunion

2008-07-10T11:47:00.000-07:00

Saturday, July 5, 2008

Today was Tim's family reunion (on his mother's side), and we had a beautiful day for it. The reunion is usually held in Jelico, Tennessee, but this year (and last year too) we had it at his cousin Tonya's house in Sterling Heights. (As a side note, I would just like to say as a very pregnant woman, that I appreciated this immensely!) They have a beautiful home on a lot of property with a pool, volleyball net, trampoline, and play structure. Needless to say, the kids have no problem keeping themselves entertained! As usual, there was so much food and so little time! This year a chocolate fountain had been added to the menu, much to my delight! The family ate and socialized and Kim even came up with a game of Jeopardy that was all about the family history. It was a great day although we did suffer one casualty - Paige fractured her little toe and had to go to urgent care. Besides that (and a water gun battle involving ice water from the cooler:), it was an enjoyable day had by all!

Showered with Love!

2008-07-09T14:18:00.000-07:00

June 28, 2008
We are truely blessed with wonderful family and friends! Not only have they prayed for us, encouraged us and helped us every step of the way during this pregnancy (and at all other times too!), they insisted on throwing us a second baby shower. I guess they realized that eight years later we probably wouldn't have much baby stuff left that hadn't been lost, broken, recalled or loaned out. Well, the day finally came and we had so much fun! Everyone who came spoiled us with beautiful gifts and tons of love and well-wishes. We had tons of delicious food, and more desserts than you could possibly sample, although we tried our best! The day was extra special because my mom got to be there! She flew in a couple of days earlier with our long-time family friend, Sue, and having them both there was "the icing on the cake". Now we are surrounded by stacks of diapers, wipes, baby toys and adorable little outfits. These things haven't been a part of our household in a long time and it is taking some getting used to (especially for our dogs:), but we can't wait for our little bundle to get here for a "refresher course"!!lol

More on Gram...

2008-06-30T17:39:00.000-07:00

I meant to add this on to the end of my "proud mama" post, but I forgot. Gram has been moved to the third floor of the hospital which is the rehabilitation floor. This is a very good thing since only two days ago she was hallucinating, talking "gibberish", and very concerned that she was going to die. (All thanks to the pain medication she was on) Obviously, her reaction to the drugs was not what her doctors desired of her, so taking her off of them became the best course of action. Now my mom has told me that she is herself again, and even beginning physical therapy two times a day. It is my prayer that the horrible pain she was feeling will be gone and that she will be able to resume her normal activities soon. Thank you to all who have prayed for our family once again. We covet your prayers and thoughtfulness.

There Actually is a Little of me in Grant!!

2008-06-30T16:57:00.000-07:00

I know...I know, everything about Grant is the "spitting image" of Tim. From the day he was born until now (almost 8 years later), they have looked alike, talked alike, walked alike, you name it, and they do it "alike". But, I have found ONE thing that he has inherited from me!! One thing that almost makes up for the fact that you can't even tell that I birthed him (and with a head the size of his, I really should get some credit:) My son, my very intelligent (even if I do say so myself) son, loves to read!! And I don't mean just a little bit. I mean he devours books -chapters and chapters at a time! For those of you who know me and my habits, you would know that once I pick up a book, I am usually lost in it for hours - possibly only breaking to make a "potty run". I have been like this as long as I can remember. The librarians at the Trenton library knew me by name. So, with all this said, when we went to the Taylor library and Grant chose six chapter books, I was a little reluctant to let him get them all. But as we drove around doing errands, and Grant was completely silent (everyone knows that that is VERY unusual for him:), he was reading the entire time. By the time we got home, he was almost done with the first book! I was still doubtful that he was retaining what he had read so I quizzed him. The child recited sections of the book, and even used some of the same words that the characters in the book used!!! I was floored!! Over the next few days, he proceeded to finish all of the books and ask when we were going to the library for more!! I AM A PROUD MAMA!! For those of you who are not avid readers, you may not understand what the big deal is, but I know that if he can read and enjoys it, school will be easier, studying won't be so hard, and those dreaded research papers might not be so tough. So let me bask in the joy that even though Grant may not look very much like me, he has actually got something that may end up being more important !!

Update on Gram

2008-06-26T20:14:00.000-07:00

Gram's hip replacement surgery went according to plan on Tuesday...the doctor's say that the surgery was a success. They described her bone as a "orange peel", the layers were just peeling away! Yuck! Since the surgery, she has been pretty "out of it". The morphine has controlled the pain, but it also has made her blood pressure drop drastically. They actually did a CAT scan to make sure that she hadn't had a stroke because it was so low. The scan came back O.K., but the doctors decided to give her a blood transfusion and take her off the morphine. As of this afternoon, she was not feeling very well and still had some "fogginess". The plan was to have her up and walking some by now, but because of all this other stuff, that hasn't been possible. Right now we are just taking it day by day. I'm not sure what the plan will be for physical therapy or even when she will be coming home but I will post more as Gram makes progress. Please continue to pray...

Gram is Cleared For More Surgery

2008-06-17T18:56:00.000-07:00

That's right...Gram is getting ready for more surgery. She was given the green light by her 'lung cancer' doctor to proceed with plans for the original hip-replacement surgery. She has been in incredible pain, and has a hard time driving or even just walking. Her recovery from having a portion of her lung removed has been nothing short of a miracle and we pray that her hip-replacement will go just as smoothly. She is scheduled for surgery Tuesday, June 24th and will have to follow up with physical therapy. Once again, we would appreciate your prayers for a successful surgery, a quick recovery and that we all remember to be thankful to God for bringing her through all of these trials safely. I will keep you informed as new details become known to me...

Time Flies When You're 32 Weeks Pregnant!

2008-06-14T19:55:00.000-07:00

As usual I am behind...I actually am 32 weeks pregnant today, but the picture I am posting is from June 5th (not quite 31 weeks). It is a picture of Grant's favorite thing to do...well, either rubbing my belly or inspecting my non-existant belly button! (I am happy to report, that I am still a mammal!) Oh well, I will try to do better from now on! You would not have wanted to see a picture of me today anyways...we spent the day cleaning and doing "demolition" on our upstairs rooms so we can move Grant's room upstairs and turn his room into the nursery. Needless to say, I was grungy!

As a side note, we had a doctors appointment on Thursday. The baby's heartbeat was good, my blood pressure was really good too, and I only have a little bit of swelling in my feet. When I asked if the baby was right on track, my doctor informed us that we were "ahead of schedule". We don't have a new due date, but we wouldn't be suprised if he came in late July instead of August. I have another appointment on the 26th, so maybe we will find out more then. I will continue to keep you posted as I am posted!

Spring Soccer has Come To An End

2008-06-13T19:42:00.000-07:00

Another season of soccer has come and gone. It really seemed to fly by and Grant enjoyed it more than ever. He had a really nice coach and a good team that actually worked together as a team! We still can't believe that Grant likes soccer so much (this is the child that HATES to run), he has even asked to play in the fall! Granted, he does take his time out on the field once in a while, and has even been known to stop running all together if he is tired! The coach's famous last words to Grant were constantly to "keep moving" and "be aggressive and just get in there"! The only "downer" of the season for Grant was that his brother wasn't here to watch him play...he would have even been content if he just 'came out' for a few games!!! I had to explain to him that the baby was 'still cooking' and would definitely be present for the fall season. But, all in all, the spring soccer season was a success and thoroughly enjoyed by our whole family. The "Green Machines" even made it to the playoffs! I have included some "action" shots and most importantly, ones of the awesome new trophy!

A Day At The Toledo Zoo

2008-06-06T19:05:00.000-07:00

I have always loved the zoo and Grant seems to have inherited that from me. Although we enjoy the Detroit Zoo, going to the Toledo Zoo is our preference. This time was extra special though...Papa and Nana Coleman were in town and got to join us on this final 2nd grade field trip! We got to the zoo at 10:00a.m. and didn't leave until 4:00p.m.!! We saw everything there was to see and could barely stay awake to drive home. I think Grant and I wore my parents out!

Grand Rapids...Here We Come!!

2008-05-31T19:52:00.000-07:00

We have been counting down the days, and the time is finally here!! Kenny Chesney is coming to Grand Rapids for a concert! We went to this concert last year and had a blast, so we couldn't wait for the 2008 tour. Our only concern was that I was seven months pregnant, and our baby might not like the noise, or country music, for that matter. Well, after the doctor reassured us that it would be fine, we packed our overnight bags and cowboy hats, shipped Grant off to Kevin and Mindy's, and headed off. Needless to say, the concert was so much fun!! Leann Rimes was there with Kenny and she put on a great show. Jennifer Nettles, from Sugarland, made a surprise appearance, and sang my favorite song, "Stay". The concert started at 7:30p.m. and went until 11:00p.m.! That made for a long time standing on my swollen feet, but it was worth it. The baby DID NOT like the bass, I think it scared him to death, poor thing. But I was not the only pregnant woman there...there were pregnant women everywhere! One even had on a tank top that said "Baby's 1st Kenny concert"! So, we made it through and had a terrific time...I'm crossing my fingers that I will be able to make it to his August 2nd concert at Ford Field!! Since I'm due August 10th, that's a long shot, but I guess a girl can hope, can't she???

Time Is Flying By!

2008-05-31T18:45:00.000-07:00

I know, I know...I am the most delinquent "blogger" on the planet! My mentor, Becky, is probably so disappointed. Anyways, this picture is of my pregnancy at week 28...um, two weeks ago. I am feeling great and loving every minute of being pregnant! Our son is on schedule and growing fast! The doctor has informed me that I grow BIG boys, whatever that is supposed to mean. Should I be nervous?! I also went to the hospital for my glucose tolerance test and RH negativity shot, and all went well with those. I really believe God has truely blessed us with this pregnancy...not only to let us go through the experience again, but to make it so wonderful and enjoyable! I am trying to remember everything about it. I know they say 'hindsight is 20/20', but I can honestly say with all my heart that God's timing is perfect! Not that we all don't know this fact already, it's just that in the seven years that I prayed and begged God for another child, there were many times that I questioned His judgement. So I continue to be thankful and cherish every day!!

Remembering My Mom on Mother's Day

2008-05-11T18:23:00.000-07:00

Most of what I know about my mom comes from stories people have told me, as my actual memories of my mother are few. I remember she used to play "school" with me. She would even pack me a lunch in my lunchbox as if I were really leaving the house for school. I remember trips to Jelicho, TN to visit my grandparents. I remember going to Camp Dearborn with our family in the summer. I remember driving to Florida for family vacations. I remember my mom taking care of me when my cousin Jason pushed me off our back porch and knocked out some of my teeth. I do not know if these are memories of the actual moments, or me just remembering from pictures I have seen or stories I was told.
For some reason I do remember the day my dad told me and my sister Kim that my mom had died. I remember we had been staying with our sister Peggy at her little brick house in Wyandotte, and we were in the backyard when my dad come back from the hospital to tell us the news. Why I remember that some thirty-two years later I do not know. I do not remember what my mom's voice sounded like, what her cooking tasted like, or anything about her being sick.
I know my mother was one of seven children in her family. She has four sisters and two brothers. I know my mom did not have a middle name. I'm pretty sure she liked to bowl. I know she liked younger men, because she was ten years older than my dad.(Way to go dad!) I know she attended Gilead Baptist Church, and was very involved. I know she loved the Lord, and prayed for her unsaved family and friends.
I know my mom loved my dad. I know my mom loved her kids (my brother - Mike, my two sisters - Peggy & Kim, and me) I know that my mom worried who would help take care of her two babies (me and Kim) when she was gone. I know my mom knew the importance of me and my sister attending a christian school, and I thank my dad for knowing the importance also.
It's funny, because I usually have different feelings every year on Mother's Day. I remember a few years back going to my mom's grave with Amy and just breaking down because I missed her. I wanted her to know Amy and her grandson. I used to question why God would allow a four year old boy to lose his mother, but like a lot of things in life it's all about perspective. God's grace has been more than sufficient. He has taught me so much through the loss of my mother, and His blessings have been to many to count. He left me in the care of a loving father, who continues to amaze me by his selflesness and love for his family. He has given me wonderful relationships with my brother, and sisters. Best of all, He brought a beautiful woman into my life to be my best friend, my wife, and the loving mother of our son, Grant.(Soon to be sons, no we dont have a name yet!)
Happy Mother's Day, Mom. Thank you mom for loving me. Thank you for starting to instill the truth of God's Word in me at an early age. Thank you for caring about me, and worrying if I was going to be okay until the day you died. I love you, I miss you, but I look forward to seeing you again. We have a lot of catching up to do.

"Barefoot & Pregnant" (and loving it!)

2008-04-22T18:06:00.000-07:00

Whoever it was that coined the phrase, "Barefoot & Pregnant", must have meant it as a positive thing - not in a negative way, like some people think. Don't knock it until you've tried it! Although I am definitely a 'shoe fanatic', I decided to follow the old saying, "When in Rome, do as the Romans" (In this case, it was in Virginia). My moms neighbor, a young mother of 5, only wears shoes when going to the store. I swear I witnessed her coming out of their church barefoot! I thought this behavior was odd until I threw caution (and my shoes) to the wind! At 23 weeks pregnant, all I have to say is "Barefoot & Pregnant" is the way to go!

Cowboy in Disguise??!!

2008-04-18T19:03:00.000-07:00

Who would have guessed it?? Our son is a "closet cowboy"! Yes, I am talking about Grant...The one who hates to get dirty and lives for anti-bacterial. He jumped into 'country life' with both feet and loved every minute of it! Grant did "chores" every day - feeding the horses and sweeping up the barn - and took it very seriously. He was continually reminding me to avoid the 'G.H.T.'s' (Ginormous Horse Turds) - like I could miss it :) He even met Daniel, a 'barefoot friend' from 'up the road', who taught him to lasso the dogs as they tried valiantly to escape, and identify animal droppings (something everyone should know, apparently). I became a little nervous when he started telling Grant about his hunting weapons, but besides that it was wonderful seeing Grant come out of his comfort zone - even if I did have to hear more about manure than I ever cared to know!!

The Kowalski's Have 'Gone Country'

2008-04-09T09:01:00.000-07:00

I know it will be hard for most of you to believe...that's why we have pictures to prove that the Kowalski's can be 'hillbilly's' with the best of them! We have just returned from visiting my family in Virginia. The weather was great and our time there was very relaxing. We became friends with the horses, dogs and cat. We learned to never go down the driveway without having horse treats in the car. They are very spoiled and will actually put their heads in your car window! Tim never ceased to be amused when a horse insisted on practically climbing in my lap through the window. I, on the other hand, enjoyed them much more when they weren't slobbering on me!

Gram's Surgery is a Success!

2008-04-09T08:39:00.000-07:00

The surgery was a 'go' on April 2nd. The doctor said everything went just as planned and there were no surprises which was a huge blessing! They removed the upper lobe of her right lung where the mass was and also her lymph nodes as a precaution. She was in ICU for a couple of days then was moved to a regular room. Hopefully she will be coming home soon but they have to be able to manage her pain before she does. (They did not break her ribs, but they had to 'stretch' them during the surgery - doesn't that just sound painful?!) Overall, the surgery was a complete success and she is well on her way to recovering completely. Thank you to everyone who has prayed for her during this trial in her life. I'll make sure to keep updating as she progresses...

The Kowalski Family Proudly Announces...

2008-03-28T18:42:00.000-07:00

...that we are NOT having a tadpole or an alien!! (Much to Grants relief) I think there were more bets going on over the sex of our baby than about the NCAA basketball tournament! Tim's side of the family apparently jumped on the "twins" bandwagon with Tim, and Papa Kowalski said we need another boy in the family. Uncle Mike, Auntie Mita and Jared all voted 'boy'. My entire side of the family said 'girl'. Most of our friends also said 'girl'. My mom changed her vote to 'boy' the morning of the ultrasound. I have said 'boy' from the beginning. Well the wait is over...we have an answer!! There will be another BOY joining our family this summer!! We couldn't be more thrilled and Grant is overjoyed! He is already planning all the things he's going to teach his little brother. (i.e. 'Kung-Fu', basketball, fishing, and most of all, how to not like Kenny Chesney - much to my disapproval :) We have included a picture of our 'boy', although how the ultrasound tech came to this conclusion is beyond me. I had to have her explain it to me a couple of times!! Tim still doesn't 'see' the angle. Grant just wants to know "what's inside the circle?" Please continue to pray for us and especially me because the level of testosterone is about to go up again in our home!

Watch me grow!

2008-03-28T17:49:00.000-07:00

We went for our very first ultrasound December 18th. The baby was just a speck on the screen - thus the arrow, since I couldn't seem to fnd my own child on the monitor! What kind of mother am I?? Before the Oakwood Fertility Center would release me to my OBGYN's care (they just help you get pregnant then turn you loose), I had to have another ultrasound to make sure everything was O.K. This one was only two weeks later, and look at the difference! The baby was already moving around and waving it's arm at us! We were amazed at the changes that were already occuring. The final ultrasound (barring any unforseen circumstances) was on March 20th. We are 20 weeks along - halfway there! I can't believe after all this time we are in the final stretch. I am trying to enjoy and remember everything about this pregnancy. I don't want to take anything for granted! Anyways, we had so much fun at the last scan. Grant went with us to "see" the baby for the first time. He couldn't understand why the baby wasn't in color and went on to ask if it was black and white inside my belly too. But, the real question was...Boy or girl?

Grant has Concerns!

2008-03-24T18:37:00.000-07:00

Experiencing pregnancy with an inquisitive seven year old along for the ride has definitely been amusing! I have been trying to make sure I give Grant a 'heads-up' as new, weird and exciting pregnancy changes come up. He Does Not like change, so I knew he was going to have major concerns. Well, so far things have been going smoothly, until one day he came home from school and announced that all mammals have belly buttons. Once again, this was a fact that I was not aware of, so I was very impressed. A couple of days later, he noticed (He notices EVERYTHING!) that my belly button was starting to disappear. After thinking on this for awhile, he came to me with a very serious concern...Apparently the conclusion he had come to was that once my belly button had completely flattened out, I was no longer going to be a mammal! What does that make me? A reptile? A fish? I mean seriously, who thinks of these things?! Most of the time I have absolutely no idea what to say to him, but this time I am pleased to say, I could reassure him with the utmost confidence that in fact I am, and will always be a Mammal!!

Science Fair is a Huge Success!

2008-03-24T17:42:00.000-07:00

Grant has been eagerly anticipating Science Fair for the last month! His class has been studying 'under the sea', and it seems like I am learning just as much as he is. For instance, did you know that a manta ray 'jumps' 15 feet in the air to give birth?! Well I sure didn't. Tim did try to convince Grant that I would be doing the same thing!! Anyways, the big day came and wouldn't you know it...I got the stomach flu! Poor Grant kept trying to convince me that I could make it, but needless to say, it was impossible. So Tim packed up Grant and they headed to 'the Fair'. Auntie Mita showed up to lend her support and Grant was thrilled! The highlight of the night was Grants 'Under the Sea' poster that he had worked so hard on with Tim. We are so lucky that Tim is so creative and can draw almost anything. If Grant had to rely on me for that, we would be "up a creek without a paddle"! (I contributed by cutting out the sea creatures that Tim drew!) Tim and Grant had so much fun together working on the poster, and it turned out great!

Good News! Good News!

2008-03-24T17:29:00.000-07:00

Since I last "blogged" my grandma has received some very good news! All of her scans came back clean, so in other words, the cancer is only in her lung. We are praising God for this wonderful miracle! She has two more tests to go through tomorrow, the 25th, and if the results are good, her surgery is scheduled for April 2nd. The doctors told her she would be in the hospital about a week, but the full recovery time is about two months. She is already talking about having her hip replaced as soon as she recovers! Thank you to all who have been praying, please continue to keep our family in your prayers.

Update on Gram

2008-03-12T18:45:00.000-07:00

The schedule of events for this week has already changed dramatically! Sometimes I think I'm the last to know anything. My mom has been filling me in on all of the details that I'm behind on. Gram has already seen the oncologist...The type of cancer that she has is neither aggressive nor non-aggressive. I guess it is somewhere in the middle. It is stage 1 - which I believe is pretty positive. The negative side is that this particular type of cancer like to move to the brain or bones. She went for the PET scan yesterday, and a brain and bone scan today. Between these tests they will be able to see if it has spread to any other part of her body. This particular oncologist wishes to try to remove the upper lobe of her lung (that's where the mass is), then determine from there if radiation or chemotherapy is needed. All of this could change when we get the results back from the scans, if the cancer is elsewhere. Needless to say, Gram could be in surgery as early as next week or the week after. Please continue to pray and I will update as soon as I have any more information.

Gram needs prayer

2008-03-09T20:17:00.000-07:00

Recently, we found out that my grandmother has lung cancer. We were rather taken aback because she was just undergoing routine tests before she had hip replacement surgery when they discovered a mass in her right lung on a CAT scan. She will be having a full body scan this Tuesday the 11th and on Thursday the 13th she will meet with an oncologist for the recommended course of action. Please join me in praying that the cancer is not only contained and can be removed through surgery, but also that she will have the strength to fight this battle and that our family can be strong for her during this tough time. Thank you for your concern and prayers!

18 Weeks and Still Growing!

2008-03-07T17:59:00.000-08:00

O.K. everyone...I have entered the world of "blogging"! Don't be too shocked, or too excited yet because I'm just getting started. Becky Rodd has graciously offered to help me (poor her)...So here goes nothing...I guess I'll begin with our most recent news...This is a picture of my growing waistline (after a brownie sundae). For those of you who may not already know, after many years of waiting - sometimes not so patiently- our prayers have been answered! We are going to have a baby!! Our due date is August 10th - another summer baby! But the date that we are all eagerly awaiting is March 20th. That is the day we find out if the baby is a boy or girl. Grant is definitely on the "boy team", Tim is still holding out for twins, and I change my mind almost every other day. I'm just praying that it's not a tadpole or alien! (Grant says that is what the pictures of babies look like in the early stages!)