New Routine

Monday Toby and I started a new routine, we have started walking a mile and a half. Once Helen leaves on the bus, we head out. Toby gets so excited I have a hard time putting his leash on. He starts running back and forth from me to the door. He is all full of energy when we first start out, but then starts to slow down when we hit our half mile mark. I guess I should come clean and admit that I'm the same...well, all but the running back and forth part!

A few weeks ago I was able to join three of the kids on their field trips. Katie and Robbie went to a local farm run by nuns, that was a great trip. We learned about how they collect honey from the bee hives, how they provide electricity to the farm (small turbine), and how they provide food to the animals and to themselves. Grace's field trip was to the pumpkin farm. We saw a puppet show, went on a hayride, went through the corn maze, and then picked our pumpkins. We were lucky to have had great weather for both trips! Tomorrow I'm going to Helen's school to help make the salads. I even got to order one for myself! I had no idea how many choices you had. They offer a lot of toppings, onions, green peppers, mushrooms, ham, eggs homemade croutons, bacon bits, just to mention a few. I'm looking forward to seeing how Helen does with me there. Will she be naughty, or behave!?!!

Tonight is Robbie's Cub Scout Halloween party, I'm hoping to hand over the Treasurer's file to the new person. I have been treasurer for the past four years, it's someone else's turn. For some reason this year, my plate is overflowing. I need to lessen the load wherever possible. Thank goodness I know my limits, and I have definitely reached them!

Our goal for launching the website is Spring, other than that, there's really nothing new to report.

Until next time-
Take Care,
Sue

Soup and Salad

Helen must be feeling comfortable at school, she is starting to act up. The other day she was making noises, yelling the teacher's name, and throwing toys. I guess the up side to all of this is the fact that it didn't take her very long to get used to her new school! Her new teacher has a salad/soup program in her class. They go grocery shopping with the kids to buy all the ingredients, and then the next day they make the salads or soups for the staff at the school. Helen loved doing the shopping, but when it came time to prepare the food, she couldn't keep her fingers out of her mouth and nose. She was unable to participate because of that. I'm hoping she will behave this week and be able to help in the entire process. She loves to help, I was surprised to hear of her behavior. They have started with salads, and as the weather gets colder, they will include soups. I have signed up to help, I can't wait to see how it all works...wonder if I get to taste test!!

Ted had his first cross country meet yesterday, he ran a mile and a half in about 16 minutes. He did a great job, he improved from last year. He said he ran the whole time, last year he walked quite a bit. He came in 26th place, last year he was second to last. He has another meet on Tuesday, he's looking forward to it.

The hot lunch crew is going to try and dress up for Halloween. We are going out tomorrow looking for lunch lady costumes. We're thinking of getting house coats, hair nets, maybe wigs, support hose, and anything else that would make us look like the typical looking hot lunch ladies! It should be a fun time!!

Until next time-

Take Care,

Sue

Field Trips

I just got back from a school field trip with Robbie and Katie, we went to the landfill. What an easy trip for my first one with the bigger kids, we stayed on the bus for the entire time. We drove on the landfill and learned all about what was underneath us, it was very interesting. The kids were so happy to have me there, especially Katie. I haven't been able to go on any field trips with the older kids until now. I did go on preschool field trips but they said that didn't count. Now that all the kids are in school all day, I'm able to go, as long as it doesn't get in the way of working on the clothing line. Thursday we're going on a walking field trip to the newspaper to see how they recycle. Next Friday I have back to back trips. Robbie and Katie are going to the Eco Justice Center in the morning, and Grace's class is going to the pumpkin farm in the afternoon. I am going to be exhausted...but in a GOOD way!!

Yesterday I worked in the yard, the front one to be exact. I pulled all the flowers, turned over the dirt, pulled the weeds, trimmed the bushes, and washed all the windows. I could barely move last night, I thought for sure I'd be the same today. I'm feeling fine, I'm ready to do the same thing with the backyard! My neighbor told me he would help me with the weeds in the backyard, they are much worse than in the front. I didn't plant a garden this year, so now it's overgrown with weeds. I have the BEST neighbors!! We have nice weather here this week so I'm trying to get all the outside chores done before the cold weather comes....BRRRRR!

Until next time-
Take Care,
Sue

Writer's Block...I Wish

Writer's block? I'd like to be able to blame my absence on that, but that's not the case. I thought I would enjoy all the kids being in school, instead, I have been very overwhelmed. September has been a difficult month for me since Peter died, emotionally and financially. Every year I tell myself when August rolls around, "Hang in there, everything will work out, it always does." It doesn't work! So, enough about me...the kids have gotten back into the routine of being back in school. Helen loves her new school and teachers. They have started a reward system with her that I thought was genius. She has to receive eight smiley faces in order to watch five minutes of ICarly. Today however, she wouldn't listen, even when ICarly was mentioned...maybe it's not so genius! I can't wait for her to grow out of this stage! Now ask me how long I've been saying that!!

Noah loves going to Kindergarten, he feels like a big kid. I was worried he wouldn't listen to the teacher. I talked with her last year and told her my concerns. She put his desk right next to hers, just to be safe. She told me I must have been pulling her leg last school year because Noah is a very good listener. I also heard that he and two other boys, his friends from preschool, are the best behaved boys. What a relief! Ted has taken to middle school like a pro, he really enjoys it. Robbie, Katie, and Grace like their new teachers too. Grace isn't too happy starting the year off with homework, but she'll get used to it.

We just celebrated Ted's twelfth birthday, I still can't believe it. Helen, on the other hand, is still twenty-nine!! She wanted today to be her birthday. I told her, "Noooo, your birthday's in February!" She told me, "Noooo, it's today!" She then started laughing!

Sherry is heading to the textile show in LA this week-end. She is looking for a different jean material, since we had some concerns voiced to us about the fabric of our jeans. I must say, I have washed Helen's pair many, many times, and they still look brand new! We are moving along slowly but surely, thanks for your patience. We will keep you posted of any news.

Until next time-
Take Care,
Sue

Impatiens

Growing up my mom used to plant flowers every summer, she loved the way the dirt felt in her hands, she didn't wear gloves. I couldn't understand how she could have all that dirt under her fingernails, it drove me nuts. She absolutely loved flowers, any kind, it didn't matter. Later in life she planted mostly impatiens. I did love the way the yard looked with the addition of those beautiful flowers, so much so that I started doing the same thing when we moved into this house. The first spring we were here, she was staying with us. I asked her to coach me on how to plant, she was more than willing. We went to the nursery where she helped me pick out the flowers, she also "schooled" me on what to look for. I went with pink (light and dark) and white impatiens, she told me the white was to help break up the pink color. I thought having the light and dark was contrast enough, but she knew what she was doing so I listened to her. We bought a bunch of them, not knowing how many to buy since it was the first time planting. I brought one of my patio chairs to the front yard so she could sit down and "coach" away. She explained how deep to dig and how to place the plants so they would look nice. She even quizzed me a few times asking which color I was going to plant next! She even schooled me on how to plant bulbs and when the best time to do that was. I am so glad I listened that day, because when the time came to plant those bulbs...she was gone. I have only planted two more times since that first year. Last year I went with purple, light and dark, and of course white. This year I planted red and white. They never look as nice as they did that first year, they grew so big and tall. I think it was my mom's touch from heaven. She told me impatiens have to be planted every year, they do not come back like some other plants. Kind of funny she said that, because every year under my pine tree grows a small amount of pink impatiens. Each year they are in different locations under that tree, but they are there...a gift from my mom, maybe? I'd like to think so!

In case you are wondering why the website hasn't launched...we no longer have pants available to purchase. Sherry and I didn't want to start out with only half of the product line. We will launch as soon as we have another batch of pants. Thanks for your patience!!:o)

Until next time-

Take Care,
Sue

The Room

He took his last breathe and was gone, it happened that quickly. I had to get out of that room, the room I had spent the last six days in watching him die. The room was filled with his family, my in-laws, the people I had come to know and love in the past two and half months. Trying to leave the room I was blocked by his father's legs as he knelt by his son's bedside, sobbing. Keeping my eyes on the floor, I raised my voice, "Move!" I couldn't get out of that room quick enough, Peter was not there anymore. I could no longer feel his presence; he was reunited with his mom who had died eight years earlier.

When I had walked into that room I was a married woman, I now burst through the door a widow. I walked down the hallway, not knowing where I was going, in disbelief he was gone. I walked into the meeting room where I had spent time visiting with family, saying, "NO,NO,NO..." I sat down wondering, what next. I walked back to the room where he lay looking so peaceful, I couldn't go in. I started towards the nurse's desk and fell against the wall, crying. One of Peter's nurses came, grabbed me by the shoulders and led me to a chair behind the nurse's station. Condolences already, I wasn't ready for this. We were supposed to grow old together; we were supposed to raise our children and enjoy our grandchildren together. I was not supposed to be talking to someone on the other end of the phone about donating my husband's corneas. Yes, he hadn't been dead ten minutes and I received "that" phone call.

My sister-in-law Maria came and found me, there was another phone call for me, "Oh God, who wants what now?" I was afraid to answer it, but I wasn't ready to go back into the room, so I did. Peter's friend Irene was on the other end, more condolences. We spoke for a bit, she shared a few stories about him with me, and then informed me she was heading to the Greek Monastery to light a candle for his soul. That conversation somehow made me feel better, we hung up and I started towards "the room".

Although I thought I was ready, I still couldn't go in. I sat down on one of the chairs that were lined up against the wall. My mind wondered...I don't remember chairs being outside his room, when did they show up? It must have been earlier when a lot of people came to say their good-bye's. My niece Amanda (Peter's side of the family) came and sat down by me. I wondered what was going through her mind; does she know what to say to me? Can she tell I'm screaming on the inside about how unfair life is right now? I look at her with tears in my eyes, I can see how sad she is when we make eye contact. I tell her, "He's no longer here, he's gone." She just nods and agrees, and that's all we say to each other. I don't know if she understood what I meant, I could no longer feel him with me. It's still very strange to me that I felt that so strongly. While sitting in the hallway my sister-in-law Lily came and told me my brother Rick and his wife Anne Marie were on their way up. They had been out of town and had no idea what had just happened.

I got up from my chair, not saying a word and headed towards the elevator. About half way down the long corridor, I ran to the elevators and waited, pacing back and forth. I leaned against the wall and just sank until my backside almost touched the ground. It felt like it took hours for them to walk out of the elevator. They must have seen it on my face because the first thing my brother said to me was, "Oh Susie...I'm sorry." He gave me a big hug, and then Anne Marie did the same. We started to walk towards the room as I filled them in on everything that had happened in the past couple of days.

I've started writing, it has helped with the healing process. I'm hoping to make it into a book someday. Last Sunday it was the four year mark, it was a very difficult day. The fog has lifted so I feel more of the pain, I guess that's a good thing, it is a process after all. Last night while watching TV, a woman who had lost her husband said, "I miss how much he loved me," DING, DING, DING...that sums it up! The kids are doing well, they have enjoyed looking at pictures and watching videos these past few weeks. We're getting ready for school...the countdown begins!!

Until next time-

Take Care,

Sue

Congratulations!!

It'll Fit'll would like to congratulate one of our most dedicated followers...Sarah. Good luck to you and your mom with the opening of your fabric store, JEllen's House of Fabric. Their store is located at 5259 Mayfield Rd., Lyndhurst, OH...their grand opening is Monday, August 9th. That day also happens to be Sarah's 21st birthday, what a special day it will be!! They will be celebrating all week, through August 14th. We wish you tremendous success in your new endeavor.

Happy 21st Birthday...hope it's a wonderful day!!:o)

Sherry, Sue, and Helen (the It'll Fit'll team)