Hockey camp

As the boys ate breakfast this morning they were talking about their first day of hockey camp yesterday.  Dima complaining of sore muscles from the team workout on Saturday and calling the coaches "mean" and saying they make them run and do exercises "for no reason" and as I tried to explain that everything they do is to work certain muscles and that in the end they'll be better hockey players because of this camp in the back of my mind I'm thinking " thanks coaches for making this a real challenge for them, really working them out and for dealing with what I'm sure is a lot of whining from the kids".  Then as Josh wheeled his bag (that's bigger than he is) into the rink he was saying " I think this is good for my muscles!"   Hopefully, there'll be a little less whining today, but it's going to be a long one cause they have camp from 8:30-4:30 then, both teams have practice tonight so they'll be going until 8:45!

Andie Update

If you happen to be at the TGI Fridays in Allentown and your waitress can’t exactly get words out quickly, back off and have some patience - that’s my sister Andie. Once she was well enough she went back to waitressing. Since the place was familiar to her it wasn’t bad since she works the slower shifts but there were days that she felt overwhelmed and like she couldn’t keep up and that she should quit. Seems like the rest of the staff thought she was doing fine but she wasn’t confident in herself. Weird that when she first went back she could remember an old list of salad dressings but the new one she’d have trouble with. Her short term memory is still not so good, but she’s learned to make a little notebook of things she wants to remember.

So… now it’s been just over 2 years since she survived a brain aneurysm and things are about to get a little closer to what they had been before she was hospitalized. Since she came out of rehab at Good Shepherd Allentown she’s been living with our parents, and she’s now 53 years old! She just found out that an apartment is available in a building that we applied for on her behalf back when we had no idea how she’d do once she was released from rehab.
Now she’s doing well enough to be independent, though she realizes that she’ll never be quite the same as before her brain injury. She struggles with expressive aphasia (the same thing Gabrielle Giffords has from her gunshot wound) every day… she knows what she wants to say but can’t think of the words to use to get ideas across. She calls herself a window-licker when she’s having difficulty and there are lots of times she gets frustrated in a conversation and just stops talking cause the effort isn’t worth it. When she struggles for words we’re not supposed to fill in the blanks for her – to help her mind do the work but it’s hard not to help when you get the gist of what she’s telling you
My husband Chris says it’s obvious that her sarcastic wit is still there…just lots harder for her to express herself. Once in a while she still feels a “breakthrough” like something gets little easier, and she knows what other people are saying but communication will always be a struggle for her. Now I find myself having more patience with people because you never know what they’ve gone through. I think this new apartment will be a good thing for her.

migrating people?

Dima and I were out for a walk to check out the neighbors' holiday nights and I mentioned that some people have homes in warmer climates to get away from the cold at this time of year, he was like: "so, they migrate?" ... I thought that was a great way to describe it.

No chihuahuas at the zoo?

Our dance group was dancing at fundraiser at the Elmwood Park Zoo for their Oktoberfest on Saturday night and as I was getting ready Josh had his bundhosen on and as we were talking about the zoo I reminded him that was where Dima and I did the Zoo Snooze a while ago and he was disappointed that we werent' going to be sleeping over this weekend... then he mentioned that they have chihuahuas at the zoo, he said that Dima told him they did, near the lions! ( I think Dima just wanted him out of the house for the evening) So once I assured Josh that there are no dogs at the zoo he didn't want to go along... disappointed again, he took off the outfit and he stayed home. His loss cause it was a fun event, lots of other animals, but no chihuahuas.

I did not prompt him to do this!

So I had coupons for Chic - fil - A kids meals and as I pullup to the drivethru Josh pipes up from the back seat" Now there's a HANDSOME man!" about the teenage kid at the window. The guy goes "Hey, Sara listen to this - say that louder kid" and Josh says it louder then the guy goes "Did everybody in here hear that??" to his co-workers. As we drove away I told Josh that everyone likes to be complimented and that was a nice thing to say and he goes, "Sara was pretty too, but I want to compliment boys first".
Guess that guy just found his favorite customer cause as we left he told us to come back any time!!

Pirates

As we were hanging out here at home today I overheard the boys discussing pirates today and Josh goes... I bet they eat lots of beans. CaribBEAN!... get it!?

If you're tired you should get some rest.

Me - Josh, we haven't seen your regular bus driver for a while maybe she'll be back this morning.
Josh- One of the kids on the bus said they think that she's rerested.
Me - She's what?
Josh - Rerested, like she's not coming back
Me - Maybe you mean reTIRED?
Josh - Yeah, that's it!