My Little Jet Setter

Last Friday I picked up Lauren and her friend Tori from school, took them to the Valparaiso Airport and they jetted off to Washington DC with Tori's family for an overnite trip on their private jet. Tori's Dad was getting an award from a magazine out there. I no more than dropped them off, made it home, and shorty thereafter Lauren called and said they had already touched down, the trip had only taken about 1 1/2 hours! They skyped me and Norman that evening, it was lots of fun. Lauren said the next day they had a lovely lunch then had enough time to do a driveby of "The White House", then did a little shopping before heading back home. I picked the girls up from the airport and they tye died some stuff at our home then skyped their friends.

I just find all of this simply amazing. How fortunate they are and how gracious of them take Lauren along. These are memories that will last a lifetime! Lauren and Tori went to church the next morning, when Lauren got back to her car, they noticed someone had door dinged it real bad! Lauren was so mad she cried! Some people just don't care!

Even though this is all about Lauren, I have to say that Leah (along with her teammates) WON the Washington Township Volleyball Tourney and we were up against Washington Township as well! Boy were they P!$$ed!

Miss Leah (My Mini-Me)

Leah is all about volleyball at the moment. The second picture is what happens when other team mates do not go for the ball when it is clearly theirs. Yes, she did save it and that knee actually looks better than it had. (I just forgot to take the picture earlier!)

Leah is trying to decide if she would like to go into beauty school. One of her bf's is attending one this year and just loves it. I know Leah really has no idea what she wants to do in the future, and I feel she needs to do something with her life that she enjoys? She can always go to beauty school then if that doesn't suit her, she can go on to college. With this economy it really doesn't make much of a difference what you go to college for, good luck getting any job when you graduate! (I know if she wanted to be a teacher, nurse, doctor etc there are always jobs for those people, but if she is not interested in that line...) I want her to persue something she will be interested in. I do know she would love to get married someday and be a stay at home mommy raising babies!!! Decisions, decsions, decisions....

thats all i got, so for now good-bye.....

keep an eye out for a blog about my baby

Happy 20th Birthday Lindsey

Lindsey's life is starting to get back to normal, if there is such a thing. She seems to be coping pretty well since the accident, (it is the internal part that bothers me more than anything)...I took her to our nurse practitioner to have her checked out. She wanted to put her on some pills to help her focus more, then wean her off in 3-6 mons...we decided NO thank you.
Lindsey left the house Thursday to head back down to PURDUE, I was in the driveway crying, she stopped and got out to hug me and tell me it was going to be alright. Of course her accident really affected the rest of us as well, and I think at that moment she finally realized how much. She celebrated her 20th birthday and by doing so she begged, nagged, and pleaded with us to let her get a tattoo. (I was just pleased she asked for our permission, after all she is 20!) I am not one for tattoos but this one doesn't bother me. She and her best friend Katie (the girl she went down to visit at PURDUE the weekend she had her accident) got matching ones, as you can see by the picture this is what they got. If you know Lindsey, she is a huge Star lover and Katie's thing is music. What appealed to us most is where her "Tat" is located, it can be easily hid when needed.
We meet with the James' insurance lady tomorrow, and I hope that goes real well. Then the next hurdle for Lindsey will come Tuesday, as some of the kids from PNC have a memorial planned for Jodi James at the school. Please keep Lindsey in your prayers.

Stay tuned friends, Leah's Blog will follow in a few days...

If Matters Couldn't Get Any Worse

Monday Lindsey had a set back...this was due to the fact that we found out the woman that hit her head-on worked at her very own college, PNC. We spoke to a friend that works at the school and she confirmed this to be true. So not only was she to grieve (she thought in silence) throughout the day at school but now she felt as though others might judge her. Even though Lindsey knows 100% this was not her fault, you never know what is going to come out of others mouths when they are learning for the first time of such an accident. So yesterday morning she had our friend Mary take her straight to a grief counselor, and though I never asked Lindsey what their conversation was about, I believe they helped her deal with the day. Today she went to B-Dubs and worked a 6 hour shift and said she felt pretty good without her muscle relaxers or vicodin. After her shift was over, Norman and I went up to have dinner with her, then she rode with me to the funeral home. Jodi's (the deceased woman) husband knew Lindsey as soon as he saw her standing in a group of people. He came over, once again telling her he was soooo sorry that Lindsey was a part of any thing that had gone on. Many tears were shed, comforting one another and no hard feelings between anyone... I am proud of Lindsey for feeling the need to attend Mrs James' wake, and now hopefully her healing process can begin.... I love you Lindsey

Head On Collision

We had a terrible Saturday, our oldest daughter Lindsey was headed home from Purdue when she had a head on collision. She was on US 421 and intersection of County Road 300, in Francesville. As she drove north, there was a vehicle in front of her turning, so she had slowed down. She started gaining speed, about 40-45 mph and she noticed there was a southbound car stopped to wait for her to pass so he could turn. A handicap driver accessible van failed to notice that the car in front of them was stopped, instead of rear ending the stopped car, or driving into the ditch she swerved into oncoming traffic which was into Lindsey's path and they hit head on. The woman was in her 50's and was driving from a wheelchair, she and her husband were headed to a wedding. A medi-vac helicopter came for the handicap woman's care and before they got her out of the van she stopped breathing. They worked on her awhile, and before they got her in the helicopter she had passed away. I believe they said her aorta was torn. From what I understand they cannot put airbags in these types of vehicles. This one accident proves the difference between having an airbag vs/not. Her husband had gotten out of the passenger side to check on Lindsey and kept telling her it was not her fault but kept her updated on his wife's condition and even told Lindsey he was frightened for his wife. We refused a ride in the ambulance to their hospital but went straight to ours (Porter in Valpo). They did an X-ray of Lindsey's chest and foot, and all seems pretty good. There's a bump on the top of her foot, the doctor was somewhat concerned about it, but didn't see a break? it's very swollen and they have her in a walking boot. She has seat belt burns on her hips and from the shoulder straps, but we'll take those any day. The airbag hit her face and her nose is pretty sore, nothing like it's gonna be tomorrow:( Tonite she took muscle relaxers and vicodin and here I am watching her sleep on the couch and its 2:30am! She is one lucky girl...thank you everyone for all the concern you've given on facebook!

The smile on her face is because she is alive and well (and in shock)

We pray for the woman that lost her life and to her husband as he will have to deal with his life without her:(