Bonds That Tie

This is a heartfelt, mixed emotion, loving tribute to my baby sister, Melissa.

Yesterday, she climbed into her car and started the next chapter of her life by driving to Arizona (14 hours away! boohoo!) to be closer to her fiance and begin the search for a dietetics internship.


It was extremely sad to see her go, of course.  Everyone LOVES their Aunt LaLa.  But it was especially sad because it marks a finality in my mind of truly growing up and being a "grown-up" family.

I don't know if that even makes an ounce of sense, but it is a page of the "Mac-Family" book that will never be re-opened (except for in home movies and digging through the huge box of pictures).  Growing up is done in the house of Mac.  I know this is hard for my parents.  I just didn't realize it would hit me like a ton of bricks too.  I mean, I have two children of my own and seven years of bliss (oh yes, bliss!) behind Mike and me.  You would think that the growing up thing had already sunk in!

Melissa has always been the comic relief in our family, especially with my dad.  She walks into the room and the tension relaxes somehow.  I wouldn't say she was the peacemaker...that's my job as the oldest sibling, but certainly the expert timing, knowing-just-what-to-say, crack-the-perfect-joke sister.  She is the baby of the family and has always played her part well... waiting until you were in the kitchen getting some ice cream and then begging you to bring some to her too... making Megan feel guilty enough to help her clean her room, and then leaving Megan (without her realizing it!) to clean it by herself... being the female version of Van Wilder...

I am really going to miss having her so close.  Smurf Dance Party will certainly not be the same without her.  But at least the wonderfully goofy poems written in birthday cards are sure to be better!

So, with her poems in mind, I give you the Melissa poem in honor of the next chapter of her life... (Disclaimer - our family is a little odd):

The Melissa Poem
Melissa, Melissa, our dear Melissa,
How did we all so fastly grow?
It isn't easy watching you go and go and go and go (it is a LONG way out there).
I look forward to skiing and trees so tall,
I hope you will not ever see me fall.
You are so dear,
and that is why I'm sad you won't be near
but I'll love you always through the year.

Keep your ear down so you can hear
the stampede of Hansen's drawing near.
Whenever the snow starts to fall
we will certainly come far to call.

Now to get this poem on track
I just want you to know we want you to be happy
so I guess that means you will never be back.
But if you do,
Smurf Dance Party is waiting just for you!

God's shower of immense blessings rain down on you, dear sister and friend.

Just a Few Handfuls of Love...

I hate to admit that I just uncovered this draft...and I have no idea why it didn't get published for the world to have this very, ahem!, important update from the Hansen homestead.  (This had to have been started around April, maybe...oops!)

• Andrew is a funny kid and he has a great, fun loving personality.  I have really enjoyed him the last several days.  It is nothing that he has done.  It really is all me.  It's funny because I know that I am a good mom.  I at least try my hardest to be.  Andrew is a great kid, just very independent, self-reliant and bullheaded.  The red headed temper doesn't help much either.  This past Saturday was the first time since we have moved and I have been staying at home 5 days a week (working part-time for a university) that I have felt like a REALLY good stay-at-home mom.  It made me sad to think about everything I have missed, but gratefully and completely blessed to be finding my path to what life can be like for all of us in our new journey.  (Update: As you know, I am now thankful to be able to stay at home full time with my little red and blond headed monsters!)

• Speaking of Andrew being a funny kid... Tonight at the dinner table Mike asked Andrew if he had told anyone at school about going fishing and making a catch (family trip to the pond on the golf course last night).  Andrew said, "Ah, man, no! I told myself I was going to remember, but I didn't."  Mike said, "Boy, you sound like your mom."  To which Andrew replied, "Well, I better change my voice, ahem, ahem!" he said clearing his throat.

• Ryan's favorite song right now is "Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star."  He has just been singing it randomly out of the blue.  His little voice becomes so high and sweet sounding.  He will sing and sing until he gets to "like a diamond in the sky"... and then he gets stuck, like a record player (if anyone can remember what those are) and he sings that one line over and over and over and over again until you help him continue on.  It is pretty funny.  We counted eleven times before my sister couldn't take it any more and helped him get to the end of the song.

• Andrew is playing t-ball this spring.  He is in the "competitive" t-ball group.  It is amazing to sit back and watch the dynamics of the parents of each team we have played so far.  Our team's parents are very laid back, positive and cheerful.  The parents of the team that we played last week were intense, focused and yelled a LOT.  Might I remind you that while we are on the "competitive" side of the league that these kids are just 5 and 6 years-old. 1.2.3.4.5 & 6.  We had to chuckle under our breath at one mom who was KEEPING STATS and argued with the 13 year-old umpire about how many runs they had during one of the innings.  Ridiculous.  What happened to letting kids have fun?  Especially at school these days!  But that is a soap box to be saved for another day.

The Vet in Me

Today I was taken back down memory lane.

During the first two summers of college I worked for a veterinarian and enjoyed it immensely. 

In fact, if I had worked for them before I went to college, I more than likely would have studied to become a vet.

And then I would have to live on a farm to have enough room for all of the animals that would come home with me.  And I would not be married to Mike anymore... he couldn't deal with all my adopted orphans. 

In fact he told me he had one rule during the time I filled in - NO MORE PETS!  And just in my defense, he was the one to bring home the last pet - Bob the Turtle... or Bobby for short!

I have had the opportunity to work for the same family again at their new clinic, just to fill in until they can find a replacement for an employee who gave them a one day notice that she was quitting.  However, the three hours that I worked today was SO much fun.  I forgot how much fun it was to be around people AND their pets. 

People are crazy about their pets.  I love hearing the stories of people's pets.  Some people are sincerely IN LOVE with their pets.  For real.  They talk more about their pets than I do my children (and that's saying a LOT).

It was a fun morning and I am looking forward to helping out again tomorrow!

Don't Blink July!

It is just amazing to me how fast July was here and gone!  The summer was going by at such a nice pace.

And then JULY happened.  Or did it?  I really can't remember!

July was a fun month, though!

• We had a visit from our dear friend Jaime (or Auntie Jewels), and Andrew and I played in our first golf tournament with Jaime and Mike.
• Andrew worked on his skills as a fish.  He actually took swimming lessons (for the second week this summer) from the lady who taught me how to swim oh so many years ago!  He is now swimming by himself from one end of my parents' pool to the other!  He has grown gills!
• Ryan's little personality keeps blooming and blooming.  Which in turns means that Mike keeps looking at me and saying, "Never mind, he is yours!"  I got in trouble for this, but he HAD to have his toe nails painted when I was painting mine.  I told him, "No, you're a boy. Boys don't paint their nails." But it is hard to argue with a two year-old in tears screaming, "No, mom, I BOY, I BOY!!! I bugs on them!"  So despite the remarks and intervention attempts from Mike and other family members...he has had blue-greenish toenails for the past two weeks that he is VERY proud of!
• We made it over to see my inlaws and play at the lake WITH Mike the last full week of July!  It was a great time!!!  We took our good family friends aka Mike's "other wife" (his best friend...separated from birth I swear) along with us too.  We took boat rides, rode the jet ski, ate yummy "night treats" and Andrew SKIED!  I'll share a video soon!  (I even got up on one ski this time!)
• Ryan is all about the knock-knock jokes right now!  He is quite the comedian!  His knock-knock jokes go something like this...

Ryan: Knock, knock
Mom: Who's there?
Ryan: Ladybug
Mom: Ladybug who?
Ryan: Did ya get that?

• Ryan walked in with a massive booger on his finger and said, "Look mom, a BIG one!" "Ew! Yuck, Ryan! Let's put that one in the trash." "No! Mom, I eat it!" "No sir! Let's go get some tissue."  "No!" Gulp. "Yucky, Ryan! We don't eat boogers!" Ryan shrugs.  "Want some mommy?"

It's been a good summer.  And I am SO blessed and thankful that I have had the opportunity to witness every minute of it!