28 Reasons Why My Mom Is Better...

It's my Mommy's birthday! In honor of that, Hannah and I decided to create this long list.. hehe.

1. How to bring your pitch partner and yourself back from being down 32 and win.
2.She is truthful and honest. She doesn't hold anything back from us.
3.Supportive. In EVERYTHING!  She is at every event Hannah or I am in or involved with.
4.She listens. When I feel like the world is crashing down on me or when I feel as if what I am telling her is the most fantastic thing in the world.
5.She taught me to be strong. To not let anything anyone says or does, crush me.
6.To be myself. To be me and not worry if someone else cares. If I'm happy with my life, then that's what is important.
7.She does like, everything. Like for real. Dad's gone, who do I call? Mom, even when Dad is home.. haha. Dad's gone? Mom fixes it. It gets taken care of.
8. She's taught me the proper way to fold towels.
9.Not to worry constantly. To sometimes just wing it, throw caution to the windand go for it.
10.Shown me how I want to raise my kids (in the far future) and how I'd like for them to see me.
11.To try and always put my family and others first.
12. She LOVES us; all the way to the moon and back.
13.She's taught me how to love God.
14.She's shown me how to mud a wall and how to have a fun time doing it.
-Mk

15. She's taught me that sometimes being weird is the best way to be.
16.To do want I love to do...Even if I'm not good at it. But she'll always support me.
17. Be outrageous! Meet new people because those strangers might just end up to be your best friend.
18.Treat people with respect, you never know what they are going through.
19.Learn how to love who you are. God made us all perfect in his eyes, so why worry what other people think of you.
20.Taught us to be proud of your accomplishments and your failures.
21.Girls can do anything a man can do and we can do it faster.
22.Be thankful for your family and things. It all can be gone in a blink.
23.Find a man who treats you right.
24.Love your family and friends more than anything in the world.
25.Trust in God and everything will be fine.
26.Believe in yourself. Believe that you can do anything your set your mind too,
27.She throws the best birthday parties.
28.She has been the best mother for the last 18 and will continue to be forever the rest of time.
-HK

Love you Mommy!

Not enough time.

Spent some time in Harper, KS today.  This was one of those visits you don't always like to do.  Our extended family gathered to pay our last respects for my Uncle, Lindy Lechner.  LL, as he was affectionately called, was my Mom's brother in law.  I am sure he was much more than a brother in law, but that is what he was.  LL was ornery, funny, out spoken, supportive.  He was a story teller, a prankster.  And he was loved.  That was evident by the crowd in attendance.  All of the remaining Kahmeyer siblings were there.  Aunt Ruby, Uncle Dale, Aunt Eunice, Aunt Boots, Aunt Doris, Aunt Francis, and Aunt Sue.  Of course, Aunt Leona and her kids.  All of my siblings were there.  Every family of this large group was represented.  Of course, the Lechner side was also there.

Being around all of this family made me realize something.  Life isn't long enough.  There is not enough time to take care of all your responsibilities, be it work or your own family, and be able to take the time to visit with your relatives.  I mean, to really be able to sit down and talk to your Aunts and Uncles, your cousins, sometimes your own brothers or sisters.  Then you have a day like today.  I took time to speak to each of my Aunts and their husbands and my Uncle.  But it isn't enough.  Five or ten minutes is not enough time to convey how much these people mean to you.

When I was a kid, I thought 'these people aren't that old'.  Now I am 46, and these people are getting old.  We are all getting old.  It seems like some of these people you only see at funerals.  In fact, my cousin Tim commented, "It's pretty bad you have to go to a funeral to see each other."  That's so true.  And there will be more in  the future. 

At the dinner following the funeral somebody said that there was a party in Heaven.  See, my cousin Gary, Uncle Lindy's son, died in 1982. (I hope that was the right year).  Our Uncle Roland and Aunt Em died several years ago.  Uncle John a few years ago.  My Mom and Dad five years ago.  Uncle Dwayne, last year.  Other cousins also.  I bet it was a party.  The minister today used John 11:21-27 as his Gospel reading.  Verses 25 and 26 read, "Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life:  he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die.  Believest thou this?"

I don't know about you, but I believe.  We will be reunited with our loved ones if we trust in God.  I also believe that we should put aside any differences we have.  Life is to short to be mad or unhappy with family.  Mend those broken fences.  Make an effort to visit with those loved ones.  Especially the older ones.  They are our history.  If we don't listen to their stories and recollections, they're gone.  And they can't be replaced.  I'm not trying to preach, just been thinking since the funeral this morning.  Life isn't long enough.  I'm going to try and make an effort to visit with those relatives.  Will you?

Rest in peace, Uncle Lindy.  You will be missed.

Ivan

Losing a Mom

I had a classmate lose his mother this last week.  I say classmate, but I should be more specific.  Mike and I were best friends in high school.  We were almost inseparable.  I was always welcome at his house and he was always welcome at mine.  Our dads knew each other before we were born.  I guess we were meant to be friends. 

I have many fond memories of Mike’s mom, Margaret.  One thing that comes to mind is that you could always find a ‘pop’ at their house.  Margaret was a savvy shopper.  She always stocked up and if you couldn’t find it, you probably didn’t need it.  It’s kind of funny the things that you remember.  We are talking 30 + years ago.  Margaret always made you welcome at their house.  Margaret tolerated a lot of things that Mike and I did.  I remember building all kinds of things in Mike’s basement workshop.  I remember staying there the night before the 4^th of July.  We slept on the trampoline.  Don’t know if we slept or not, but we were up most of the night. 

I talked to Mike on the phone today.  He told me his mom was at peace when she decided to have surgery again.  He said that made coping with everything easier.  Losing a parent is not easy, though.  The easy parts are the memories:  The things that you will never forget, no matter how old you are.  Hold on to those memories and pass them on to your kids.

In the end, it’s hard.  Death that is. It seems that it should be the easier part of life.  I mean we are all destined to die.  You‘re born, you live your life, and you die. It sounds simple, but it isn’t.  It sounded like Margaret was ready and at peace.  For that, I am thankful.  Tonight, we should all say a prayer of thanks for the moms in our lives.  Not only our birth moms, but also our extended moms.  I have had many extended moms in my life and I am proud to say Margaret was one of them.   

And Mike, I hope you get to have a ‘good’ day with your Dad.

Ivan

Madison Lane

Well, Madison Lane, you made it!  I don’t know what you are more excited about:  turning 18 or graduating from high school.  Both of them are pretty momentous occasions and you have the pleasure of doing them both on the same day.  Eighteen years ago you were born on a Thursday and came home from the hospital on Sunday, Mother’s Day.  I always thought that was cool.  But this year, you graduate on Saturday and Mother’s Day is the next day.  That is pretty cool also.

I know over the last several years we have had our ups and downs.  But isn’t that the way life should be?  It would be pretty boring to have everything on the same level.  I can’t even begin to count how many times I have told you the same thing over and over.  One of them is: Being a parent is the hardest job you will ever have.  I really believe that and I am sure your mom does too.  Being the rule maker, judge, jury and the enforcer isn’t much fun.  But it has to be done.  Being a parent means discipline, being a good role model and teaching your children to respect themselves.  I hope we have done a good job.  I hope you are ready to enter this thing we call the ‘real world’.  You know what, I know you are.

I’ve noticed several things about you over the last several months.  I see responsibility, something not a lot of seventeen (and now eighteen) year olds have.  I see compassion.  I see respect (most of the time, not always, but most).  You love the Lord.  You love your family.  You are good with little kids.  Teaching will be a great profession for you.  You are yourself. You are never afraid to speak your mind.  A good trait, most of the time.  Learn to use it wisely.  I see a woman who is sure of herself and knows what she wants. 

When you were born I wanted several things for you.  Now I only have one.  I want you to be happy and embrace life.  Go into the ‘real world’ and make your mark on it.  And, when you get married and have kids of your own, remember to tell them what the hardest job in the world is.  Your mom and I are very proud of you and what you have accomplished.  Remember, graduation isn’t the end.  It’s the beginning of a new and wonderful adventure.  One you are ready for.

Oh, I have one more thing to tell you.  The summer before you started high school I was talking to you and a friend.  Gentry? Or Kaysha?  I don’t remember for sure (I’m getting old).  Anyway, I told you to enjoy high school.  It will be the best time of your life and you will make lifelong friends.  I may have been wrong.  I think the best time of life is watching your baby walk across the stage and get her diploma.  So very proud of you! 

I’m hoping I have all the tears cried out of me before the ceremony.  You know how sentimental I get.  I mean I cry during Folgers commercials for goodness sake.  One last piece of advice?  Ok, here it is.  Enjoy life.   Jim Valvano, college basketball coach who died from cancer, said “If you laugh, you think, and you cry, that’s a full day.  That’s a heck of day.  You do that seven days a week, you’re going to have something special.”  I love you Sis.      

Dad

Happy Birthday, Mom

Happy Birthday, Mom!  Hard to believe it’s been five years since we celebrated your last birthday.  We had an awesome day in Attica.  Most of your sisters were there and we had a great day.  Little did we know that would be your last birthday with us.  So much has happened in the last five years, I don’t know where to start.

Madison is graduating in less than a month!  Where has the time gone?  Madison has grown so much and is a very pretty young woman.  She has really buckled down her Senior year and has had a great year in school.  She is very conscientious about her studies.  We have an honors banquet coming up.  The school honors the students who have been on the honor roll the previous nine weeks.  Madison is very proud of the fact she has been on the Honor Roll throughout high school.  I believe there are seven or eight kids in her class that will have the same honor.  It is pretty awesome.

After she graduates, she plans on going to Northwestern in Alva.  She wants to be a teacher!  I think she will do an awesome job.  She really does good with young kids.  She has been a teachers aid this year, helping with the third grade.  We are really proud of her.  This is such a bittersweet time.  We know she is ready to go to college, but it is going to be such a big change.  I see great things in store for her.  She is going to be a big success.

Wow, what can I say about Hannah?  I really don’t know where to start.  She is so competitive in everything she does.  She has played some sort of competitive sport for several years now.  Last year as a sixth grader she started volleyball coming off the bench for the varsity, ended up playing quite a bit and lettered.  In basketball, she started every game as a varsity member.  The team wasn’t too successful, but they gave their all.  She also ran track and lettered in track as well.  Three varsity letters as a sixth grader!

This year volleyball started out very well.  They ended up winning the league tournament!  Then in basketball, they had an awesome year.  They won the league tournament in basketball as well.  Hannah started every game, but one.  Five eighth graders started that game.  Now she is doing track.  Time will tell how they end up.  She pulled a muscle in the first meet and has had to sit out a couple of weeks.

She is also doing very well in school.  She really holds herself to a very high standard.  She took great pride throughout volleyball and basketball season to maintain an A in every class.  Both of the girls were also Cheerleaders this year.  They were both very busy.  I don’t know what the future holds for Hannah, but whatever it is, she is going to do very well.  Oh, did I mention that Hannah had a formal dance this year?  She looked very pretty and Susan and I got to chaperone!  We had a great time.  Hannah is also a very pretty young lady and is really growing up fast.

I know you are watching over the girls, but I really wish I could share their accomplishments in person with you.  Susan and I are very, very proud of our girls.  They have really grown up well and as you can tell, we are extremely proud of them.  Love ya, Mom.  I miss you.   Ivan

What to post!? :/

Since I have absolutely no idea of what we have blogged about this year, so I'm going to give a brief summary. If I write something that has already been written about, bare with me.(:

First, Track!
To start off this topic, I'm just going to tell you that Track isn't one of my most "liked' sports. I can deal of it, but if it was up to me, I probably wouldn't being doing it. Anyways, my first meet was like two weeks ago. Something like that. And I ran the 100, got hurt, and being the brave person I am.( Typing that with a raised  eyebrow(: ) Finished my running events that night. I was in a medley! If you don't know what a medley is, it is two 100's, one 200, and one special person gets to run a 400! Well, guess who the special person was. ME! I didn't have to run it though, because I got hurt. Instead i ran the 200! My favorite race!  Since I got hurt, I haven't been able to go to practice for Two weeks!!! But I start again Monday! Hopefully I can be able to breath!

Second, My second Jr. High dance this year.
As you may remember I had my first one in October in the theme of Halloween. This time though was just a formal one. Buttttt we had a little game time first! I was in charge of Minute to Win it!( that was the best game,in my opinion!) They both were a blast and I can't wait for next year! Pictures will hopefully be up soon!(:

Lastly, My sister has less then one month of school before she will be a Northwestern Ranger! ( EP! Has she wrote about that?) :/ Anyways, these days are pretty busy! As I'm writing this Madison is in Colorado on her Band trip! And I miss her terribly! Back to point though! We have been getting stuff for Prom, Graduation, her birthday, and any thing else that will happen in a couple of weeks though! I don't know if I'm willing to let Madison graduate yet, I'm not liking the idea of her being two hours away everyday! I mean who's going to bother her and who am I going to gripe at every morning! And I'm going to miss our special occasion movie nights when ever we want to have them! It's also going to be really quite all the time.  :'(

On a happier note! I only have a month left of school!(:
-Hannah

P.S. If you're reading this Madison, I just want to say I LOVE YOU!(:

Growin' Up

My baby sister is growing up too fast! :'( We have our big fights, but I think it's just because she gets more and more like me everyday. Even though she's about five years younger than me, she is still one of my best friends. An even if she doesn't believe me, she teaches me things all the time. Since she turned thirteen, I think I'll make a list of thirteen things she's taught me.
:)Here goes:

1. Every brunette girl needs a blonde best friend.

 

2. We can get on each others' nerves to the point of yelling.

 

3. Two brains are way more creative than just one.

 

 

 

4. She will always have my back...and my front.

 

5.  True friends will do almost anything you ask of them. Even if it embarrasses them at first.

(I'm so happy she has a James Park Stout as her best friend.)

 

6. Big sisters are allowed to be biased.

( I will always think she's the prettier sister and the prettiest girl I know. )

 

7. No idea is a bad idea, when you have someone to share the experience with.

 

8. It is my job to protect her from the evils of this world; specifically older boys because she is so gosh dang gorgeous.

 

9. Being one of her role models isn't a bad thing, as long as I'm willing to set a good example.

(Same number as her big sis!)

 

10. Being goofy is a great thing to be.

 

11. She will never find a man that I think is good enough for her. An if she does, I'm not going to admit that to him.

 

12. We're each others' number one fan.

 

13. She will always be there for me, no matter what.

One Extra!- She is my other half. My picture for a frame. My 'make me smile' when I feel like punching someone. My shoulder to lean and cry on. 

 

I love you, Nana. :)