Go Steelers!!!

Here they are...all in one place!

We didn't do too much this weekend, or at least on Saturday. It was a lazy day, so I took a little time to edit some replacement photos for my black and white framed photos

In my opinion, it doesn't get any better than this ---

What's it gonna be?

Decisions decisions....

Once in a while in life you are faced with an opportunity for change. It's the Road Less Traveled thing again. Only this time it's this...

or this...

So...Love it here
Friends
Picturesque
Warmer winter
Small town life



Love it here
Friends
Exciting
City life



Oh yeah... the other thing?

---------->
(among others)

Three hours away (and Erie just one)...
or
Seven hours away...



Decision?
by a landslide.

Summer vaca...another part

One day we decided to take a picnic dinner to the State Park.
(By the way, Mel and Kyle came too...apparently they are camera shy)

Cam was daring. He wanted to hang from the bars and walk his way across...

The first one was easy. Then he had to move his hands...

But... he did it!! (ok, Melanie was on the bottom end helping just a little)

Kaela took off on the slide...

Cam was close behind...

Kaela's turn to be daring with a swing from the high bars..

And there was time to play at the beach...

Back at home, Kae was just hanging out. Looking out the door. What's this --a screen door?

YEAH!!!

Misha Simone Lunger

Last week was family week, or Family Fun Fest, as Melanie describes it. So there are lots of pictures and fun events to come, but here is the most important! We got to meet our newest family member, little Misha. She is just wonderful..pretty little girl with a cute little nose and maybe her daddy's eyes.

Misha sleeps on daddy's shoulder--

And in Aunt Melanie's arms--

And in my arms--

But finally -- awake and looking forward to when she can play with her cousins (sorry, Mel, it was the only pic of all three of them)

Happy Birthday, Brad

Thirty years ago today was Mother's Day. I went to the Mall. I walked the entire length of the Mall. And back again. Then I went home.

Sitting at the dinner table, I felt a little twinge. I didn't say anything. Until much later. And then it was time to go to the hospital and very early the next morning, Brad was born. All 9 pounds 11 ounces of him.

We didn't know his name until we saw him. There were a couple choices, but when we saw him we knew it was Brad.

By the way, did I mention he was crying before he was even completely born?

Grandpa Lunger was the first to come and see him in the hospital, aside from his dad and I that is. He snuck in at the beginning of his work day to meet his grandson. I won't ever forget how totally in love he was with his grandchildren.

His big sister came to see him in the hospital too. She couldn't wait to have him at home. That stopped somewhere around the first time he took a toy from her.

And now, that baby boy is on the verge of becoming a daddy himself. In just a few days, he will understand how such a small little creature can totally steal your heart. And how looking at that little one, the idea that he (or, in Brad's case, she) is totally dependent on you.

In my case, that was a very happy Mother's day. And I'm sure that this will be a very happy Father's day for Brad.

Happy Birthday Braddy. I love you.

Chelsea's Senior Prom

Chelsea and Colin at the lake before the Boiling Springs prom.

It was a beautiful evening, warm and sunny, and the whole town was at the lake. Chelsea and her friends all looked great and after lots of pictures, were off for dinner at the Market Cross and the prom at the Camp Hill Country Club.

See you someday...

I wrote this blog almost a week ago now. It is the first time I didn't just write and post, but had to come back to it later... Sometimes it's good to just shoot straight from the hip and let it go. Sometimes it's better to just make sure.


There are all kinds of ways to explore feelings. This has become one of mine. So.... warning warning warning... this may be a post to steer clear of, especially if you are melanie...

It's been an eventful week and I haven't written anything because there were already enough emotions around and I couldn't hug mellie and I didnt want to add to anyone's pain. But now, well, I hope that if wounds are still raw, you will wait and come back after there's been a little healing and toughening.

When Mel told me that she was spotting and then that the baby had no heartbeat, I felt a series of things. Fear first and for a couple days until Monday when she had the first ultrasound. I knew then, I guess we all did, but I can't imagine any way other than waiting and making sure in a couple days. But how difficult those days had to have been for mel because i know how difficult they were for me. Funny how you don't lose the desire...the need to protect your baby..even when your baby is an adult woman trying to protect her baby. I felt it just like I did when she would cry because her friends said they didnt like her any more (the 3-friends-are-one-too-many syndrome). I would reassure her and tell her they were being silly and that they would be back looking for her to play in no time. I might tickle her face or just hug her. I knew that I couldn't make it better but I wanted to protect my baby against the injustices in the world...but I couldn't and it passed and life went on.

When Melanie was 1, she had a tumor on her foot just below and between her big toe and the next toe. The dr. said it would be no big deal to remove it, but that it should be removed because it could get bigger and cause her pain. So it was removed and she was fine. Four years later, it grew back and it hurt her. Again, the prescribed treatment was surgery and I was ok, knowing it had been no big deal the first time. Then, the day before the surgery, her surgeon called me and very bluntly told me that it might not be so easy this time. He said there was at least an even chance that it would be malignant and that we should prepare for that possibility. And even if it was not malignant, the surgery would be difficult because the tumor seemed to have grown between and around the bones in her foot. I was scared. More than scared tho, I remember thinking that I would gladly take a tumor the size of an automobile if I could protect her from the next few days, and maybe more than just a few. I remember the feeling being fierce..I would do anything to protect her. If I could. But I couldn't. The only thing I could do was pray and even in those days of not being really sure who I was praying to, even then I could pray.

So now we move on to last week. That feeling again.. fierce and protective... But this time it was on two fronts. Melanie. How I wanted to protect her and how I marveled at the strength she showed (even when i knew that my daughter's feelings run deep and she was not feeling nearly as strong as she acted). And the baby. I don't know how anyone can have experienced this sort of a loss and not believe..not KNOW that this was not a 'fetus' or the totally clinical 'product of conception'. This was a baby. A real human being with all the potential in life that I have or Mellie has ...or for that matter, that Cam or Kaela have. I just kept thinking how I was going to miss this little one. And how very glad I am knowing that this little baby is hanging out with Gram and Grampie in a heaven of perfect love and sunshine. I miss you little angel. Keep an eye out for all of us..we'll get to meet you someday.

Back to the 80s... another view

If you have a chance check out Don's website and the video of Chelsea and the girls doing Lets' Hear it for the Boys. Nice job (while you are there, listen to Video Killed the Radio Star -- one of our favorite moments of the show). I think I gave Cameron a microphone that would make his voice sound like that at Christmas time. I have a feeling that voice has never been heard..right Mel?

A Few More of My Favorite...

These are entirely random -- which you will be able to tell by the lack of anything at all to do with each other. Still, they fit into the favorite photos classification--


Don was taking a little nap when I snuck up on him. I'm sure he hates this photo, but I love it


I doubt if I have to explain this one --a toothy baby smile, c'mon....

It's great when you can see your kids with such a happy loving face. I have a similar one of Mel and Kyle, unfortunately not digital -- when I scan it (one of these days) I'll add it. I have them both hanging in my office. They make me feel good about life.


It was a sunset cruise in Cozumel. It was beautiful in every direction, including up.


This is definitely one of my all time favorite photos. Maybe Michelle Obama should check it out.


And finally, a sunny vacation day a few years ago. The cruise ship stopped in St Maartin and we stopped at a little beach right in the town...with a tiki bar and $1.00 Heinekens. This is a shot of what it was like to be me right then

Sisters

While I was in Hawaii, when I was way too busy doing fun stuff to blog, I kept thinking of things that need to be examined in web print. So, in an effort to make it through the list, here goes topic number two.

I grew up a kid of the 50's, a teen of the 60's with an older sister who called me "the Brat". Why? I can't imagine, I am sure I was sweet and pink and rosy. I do remember someone quoting a little verse:

There was a little girl
Who had a little curl
Right in the middle of her forehead.
When she was good
She was very very good
And when she was bad
She was horrid.

I don't think I was the inspiration, but some might say I could have been.

Seriously, how could anyone say that about this little angel?

Oh wait... wrong angel...
But do you see any curls there? I rest my case.


My sister loved being with me. She couldn't wait to spend time with me...I can hear it now. "Here, hold the baby" "Oh boy, can I, can I? So much more fun than playing with my friends!"


"Hold her hand" "Hmm...How much trouble will I get into if I let go and she falls on her face in the snow?"


My sister loved me so much that she even gave me her favorite dress
"Look, she has your dress on. Doesn't she look cute?" OK, this might have brought out some sympathy. "How absolutely stupid to take pictures of us in the same dress. Come on Mom, get a life"


Oh yeah. That's Mel. She insisted on getting her picture taken with her little brother, because, just like her Aunt, she'd rather do that than anything. Except maybe wear the same dress...

But time goes by and life goes on and things change. Pretty soon I wasn't just the Brat (at least, I think that's true). Eventually, somewhere along the line, we found that we had something in common. Then, it was even more than that. She became my friend. No, not just that. She became what she always was...my sisterYeah, I guess I do have a curl...