Kelsey at College

Kelsey spent the last week getting comfortable with school and attending Boiler Gold Rush, a freshman orientation. She came home Friday night to watch Devon's home opener and I brought her back today.

I had Alex's soccer game to attend first, then over to attend my first ever high school game. It's a Friday night event around here, I am just not that big a fan of hs football. Alex scored the only goal for her team, we rushed home and I waited while 3 girls proceed to get ready. We arrived and Alex promptly dumped me off on Kelsey saying 'she's driving me crazy!' - lol. Center Grove won the game easily 41-0, a lot of the players got to see some field time but for me, it was a little boring. Devon got his pic in the paper (to the right of the coach)

I drove her and Gywnne back with a loaded car on Sunday, dropped the off and came back home. She of course came home with 'a list', the box fan being on the top priority, there is no air conditioning in her dorm, and the humidity has crept up with coming of August, it's hot! She starts classes tomorrow.

First Day of School

School started for Alex this week. It was a sad moment when I took the 'first day of school picture' and it was only Alex, it brought in another realization that the days of having 2 children and having full responsibility for both is coming to a close. Of course I always will be feel responsible for Kelsey, but she is now entering the world of adulthood, and as much as I am working on letting go, she is working on taking more and more on her own. We are both doing fairly well with it so far.

But this is about Alex starting school, so here is her picture looing all the teenager she is!
Soccer season has begun, Alex was disappointed she didn't fully make the JV team, but is double rostered between JV and developmental. I do beleieve this will afford her more opportunity to play and be a leader to the younger players, but I know in her heart she wanted to be all JV...she is doing well with all of it, it's one of those moments in life that you make the decision to accept, go on and do your best or quit ~ I am proud of her making the first choice, no matter how hard it maybe for her.

Her first week of school was 'boring' but I think this will change as homework, school activities and reconnections with friends she hasnt seen over the summer will kick in.

Tomorrow, I have another 'mommy moment' for we bring Kelsey to Purdue to move into the dorms for Boiler Gold Rush, a week long freshman orientation program. She will be back home next Friday for the first home football game at the High School, Dev, her boyfriend is a senior and will be playing.

~hope

I am the Worst Daughter.....

I have the most loving parents in the world, they are there to support, encourage and help me still when I stumble and fall. So what leads to this headline, I forgot my dad's birthday on August 5th, sure, I have excuses..,but truly this is in-excusable.

I get so caught up in my little world here, I forget a larger one around me.



I'm sorry daddy, maybe it's my own old age catching up with my brain, but I hope you had a wonderful day!

Friendly Poker

My favorite place to play free poker quit hosting in June. I liked this place, it was close to home, I enjoyed the people I played with (meaning they played poker, not craps) and it was a nice weekly respite that had a 'Cheers' type of atmosphere with a cast of characters to fit.

I tried a couple of the other places still hosting, but they just don't fit and why bother going if I am not fully enjoying myself. So, since I was finished with my house, I decided to host a weekly game. An opportunity to play with the people I enjoy playing with, be really close to home and above all get to play some cards. I just love to play cards, really any card game, I take that back, I just can't 'get' Euchre, and damn if it is not the hottest game in the state of Indiana.

The games have been fun, on average there are 8-9 of us, small enough to enjoy the company, large enough to earn some $$'s. It has taught me more about my game, the approach to the game and the ramifications of each, it's why I enjoy cards and its strategy. Many of the players can spit out the pot odds, number of 'outs', card odds of winnings, etc. Mathematical genius I say! Me, I ain't that good at that, I do 'understand' each hands odds of winnings and the number of outs - pot odds, not so much, but I also 'feel' some hands, you have 'lucky days' where the cards fall in your favor and above all, it comes down to chance, it is gambling.

As true sometimes in cards, is true in life. I am not a genius in my respective field(s), but I have knowledge and understanding of the overall approach of each, the ramifications of decisions and the strategy . What cards has taught me is to make to take that chance more often, when you have run through all the options (chip stack, number of outs, odds of winning,etc.) and to just listen to my 'gut', now I need to work more on employing this strategy into my life.

July 2008

The road to Purdue, I have received SO much paperwork about everything from dorm rooms to student insurance, it is overwhelming. With the incoming class being 'so connected' why do they not offer and outline of required documents and the ability to complete them online, it's hard to keep up.

We had a Day on Campus, Kelsey worked with the advisor and the plan they have outlined establish her to have a choice of pre-pharm, pre-dental, pre-med and biochemistry her junior year without having to take additional classes. Chemistry is currently her major with a Biology & Spanish minors.

I discovered Soules garden, finally after years of searching for this hidden Day lily farm. Day lilies are my favorite garden flower and I hope to hydridize them some day. Jen and I explored the vast assortment and snapped a few of our favs, we would break the bank if we bought all the ones we wanted!