schmidt happens

Back again

2012-01-17T20:04:00.000-06:00

Just checking.

Memorial Service

2010-06-19T23:38:00.008-05:00

This Thursday was the annual Memorial Service at the local cemetery. Wasn't sure if I would make it, it was Thursday after all and Sam and Allan both has games, and the other 2 needed to get to bed earlier then they have been.....Well Sam's game got rained out, and was home early. Merle was at Allan's game, and Mom and Dad were camping (They were ok with that cause it is sometimes just too hard to remember). So off I went on my own. Seemed to be the same crowd as the previous years. Helen Schapansky was there this year. Coming to remember her husband Jim who recently went to be with the Lord. So sad for her. I wondered...who was it going to be next year? Who would be joining us remembering and missing loved ones? My new friend (who shares the same grief in loosing a brother) meets me and takes me by the hand and tells me the speaker canceled last minute, if I could say a little something, she also would and we should be good. Well it started with Cheryl Wachtendorf , shared about loosing her dad, and her brother Chadd. Well I could relate. Jeff Stott shared a little. Well I could relate. Danielle let us see a glimps of her grief. I could relate. She said something interesting...she talked about how jealous she was of so many people (she rattled at least 10 names with out a breath) people that has to go help a brother move. Someone that had to plan a wedding party for their sister. Someone that had to help out a brother cause they were struggling ...the list went on. Mostly it was people that with out knowing were complaining about having to do something for a sibling. While she wished she could complain about having to do something for her brother but can't. Then she said that when she saw me, she had hope.....hope because I have been able to start piecing my life back together, and seem to be finding joy in life (not those exact words but to that effect) I wasn't sure what, or how to think of that. I was glad she saw that yet I could only think I guess my heart is hidden really well, cause the truth is that when I let myself remember, my heart feels just as raw and broken as it did almost 18 years ago. I guess that is why dad was okay with missing this evening this year, remembering can be so painful. Samantha was doing a paper on a special person, and decided to do it on her uncle Jeff. She has never met him, but knows him. (There is still so much to talk about) We found some pictures of him for her paper, and some that couldn't resist the fridge. There are days that I can look at them and laugh, cause he was so silly or the memory was just so fun, but there are others that I can only look for a second. It is still hard to really look at them.....They capture so much of him, and then I remember how much I lost. How can he be gone? It isn't fare Danielle, I agree. I want to me an Aunty. I want to love his kids. I want them to be my kids favorite cousins. I want to take them for the weekend, and I want to go on holidays with them, and celebrate their birthdays with them. I want to share life with them. I want him to know my kids. I want them to experience him; his goofy fun ways, his love for them, the interest he would take in them, and in the things they love. I want him to come to their soccer games, to be their fan. To take them flying, to show them his scuba spot, to play guitar with them, to share with them his passion for Jesus. There is just too many things that they have missed; that I have missed; that we all have missed. Its doing life together that I am still grieving. I do know I will see him again (thank you Lord! Really I am thankful Lord), but some days that doesn't seem good enough. I know it is totally selfish, I feel bad even saying it (or writing it), but there are those moments, even after 18 years. Never the less, I am glad that I can give someone hope....And I do agree that time heals, and we do probably look that we are putting the pieces of our life together, and that we are good....We are good! We really are......we are actually better than good. God has been so gracious and good to us. We truly have so much to be thankful for. He has given life to us! He also has taken it away, but that I'm afraid is life. At the end of the day, be it a good one or a less then good one, He is enough. I think that is the hope that she sees...it surely isn't me....I did go up...said a few things...helped my friend...went home, and felt like an old wound had been torn open again.....but the great physician was there again to stitch it up nicely.

Be who you are

2010-05-19T10:04:00.003-05:00

"Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind don't matter and those who matter don't mind."

Saw it and had to write it down somewhere. Any other man pleasers out there? Hope this speaks to you too.

Need I say more

2010-05-18T10:08:00.002-05:00

Ok, back to the brain lapse....Do you ever go into a room, look around and ask yourself, why am I here? What was I going to get here? Or you find your milk in the cupboard the next morning after swearing (not really swearing) you had a full gallon left the night before....This happens more times than I really want to admit, cause honestly it is a little frightening to me. Anyway...last night Anna had a soccer game. We carpooled with two other ladies and their daughters. We arrived at the overwhelming soccer pitches. There are about 20 of them (which weren't marked very clearly or rather at all) Not sure what was all going on in my mind, obviously a little too much. (You'll know why later) We followed the coach, who too was a little unsure of the location. We finally found out opponents. White socks team! This wasn't p2...this was p1. Never the less we made it, and settled in our chairs to enjoy the sun and game. Grandma Schmidt, Aunty Ing, Cara a little Lima bean came to watch. Great game. The girls lost by one. They played hard and Anna did great....(she played up this year to make the numbers better for the teams, and she is doing Awesome!) Love watching her.....she reminds me of her dad out there! As we walked back to the van the lovely lady who drove us all of a sudden says, "Don't tell me that door was left open the whole time....Why did I bother locking the doors!" Oh crap, please don't be my door......you got it....my door! Don't even ask what I was thinking cause obviously I don't know....did I think someone was coming behind me? That someone would check to see if all the doors were closed? That the door would automatically shut? Well the van owner graciously laughed and claimed "all is well, that ends well" Nothing was stolen....everything was intacted and the battery wasn't dead. You guessed it...Schmidt happens!

brain lapse

2010-05-18T10:07:00.001-05:00

2008-2010 Where has the time gone?

2010-05-13T10:23:00.004-05:00

Good morning! Today I was on my favorites and found my blogspot. Why I hadn't deleted it out of my favorites I don't know....never the less there is sat. Knowing what was there, I clicked and started reading some of my posts (which were a few). I felt like I was reading a bit of a journal..which I wish I did but don't do. I couldn't believe my last post was 2007 (3 stinking years ago). I read all the posts and laughed and cried, and wished there was more to read. So many things I could of written about....so many memories I wish were logged somewhere, cause my memory is not doing a good job at it. So today I will start AGAIN! It may be short lived, or maybe not. Just excited to have a spot to save my memories. Maybe someone could get a laugh, or blessing by reading it, or maybe not. Whatever....glad to be back :D.

meme

2007-04-22T22:51:00.000-05:00

Just so all of you know, I didn't need the help of my computer competent cousin....I figured this crazy PC out all by my lonesome.

Three Things That Scare Me:
1. Becoming deaf
2. Family members dieing
3. Bears

Three People Who Make Me Laugh:
1. Merle, when he's not trying.
2. Bill , an old teacher from boot camp.
3. Jason, my cousin. (his wife is right up there too....the combo is the actually the funniest.)

Three Things I Love: Aside from God/friends/family
1. Fresh sheets
2. Camping
3. Laughing with my husband

Three Things I Hate:
1. fighting
2. Liars
3. Dirty dishes

Three Things I Don’t Understand:
1. This World
2. Why God chooses to heal some and not others.
3. My cell phone

Three Things On My Desk:
1. Bills
2. Phone
3. Devotional

Things I’m Doing Right Now:
1. This meme
2. Staying up late
3. Crossing my legs

Three Things I Want To Do Before I Die:
1. Travel with my children, one at a time, to do mission work.
2. See my children grow to be joyful adults that love the Lord with all their heart, soul, and strength. That they would walk with Him every minute of every day. That the peace that passes all understanding would be theirs.
3. Be content

Three Things I Can Do:
1. Laugh with people, that love to laugh.
2. make a mean bisquit
3. Play the piano and guitar enough to be able to sing some old country classics, and some of my favorite worship songs (at the camp fire is my favorite)

Three Things I Can’t Do:
1. Please everybody
2. spell
3. Set my husbands digital watch

Three Things I Think You Should Listen To:
1. Holy Spirit
2. Positive people, not Debby downers
3. Your heart

Three Things You Should Never Listen To:
1. Someone belittling you
2. Doctrine that is not from the WORD
3. People who never have anything good to say

**stole those ones

Three Things I’d Like To Learn:
1. Not to worry
2. How to be self motivated (in exercise especially)
3. How to play guitar the real way, not the old country way....

Three Favorite Foods:
1. Chocolate
2. Sweet and sour spareribs (my mom's way)
3. Jalapeno poppers

Three Shows I Watched As A Kid:
1. The Flinstones
2. I dream of genie
3. scooby doo (if we were in grand forks)

Three Things I Regret:
1. Not spending more time with my girlfriends when I was dating
2. Not going to b.c. to visit my brother when he was living there.
3. focusing on the outcome rather than the journey.

I tag, Esther, and my mom.

You are so good to me

2007-04-19T11:37:00.001-05:00

This morning, with 2 sick boys at home, a daughter that needed to go to the walk in, and myself who is a congested mess, table full of laundry, grand forks bag still needing to get put away (and unpacked), a floor that looks like a sand box,or a gravel pit, depends on where you are standing. A sink full of dishes which is standard. Here I stand a tired mom. To say the least, feeling a little overwhelmed with what needed to be accomplished today. A small voice said, spend time with me. Too many days I ignore it, but today I got my coffee and sat on my couch with my Bible and a devotional with many great nuggets of truth, and encouragement. As I was paging through it, I found a letter. It was from my brother Jeff. He was living in Ontario at the time, in training for overseas missions. The date was 4 months before he passed away. Even though he had a computer, he still wrote letters. My eyes instantly flooded with tears.....here was his handwriting, and his thoughts, and concerns; a part of him. He was writing about what God had been teaching him. "...yet not I but Christ liveth in me...for me to live is Christ...."he went on to say that Paul realized that it was the very power of God living through him that really was life. A person can do nothing of any eternal value, only as we yield to the Spirit and allow him to live his life through us, will there be anything of eternal value, and glory to God. It's been 15 years since we last talked, and today was a gift. I felt him talking straight to my heart. You are so right Jeff, to live is Christ........... Christ is life! Im so thankful I took the time to sit today.....God is so good. He should be ticked, cause I choose so many other things before him so many days...and knowing Jeff has been on my mind lately, He chose to bless me, and show me love and Grace.... AGAIN! You are so good to me.

B.C.

2007-04-17T10:16:00.000-05:00

I read today that the Christian creationist cartoonist, Johnny Hart the creator of the cartoon B.C, and The wizard of id passed away on the 7th of April. I looked up an interview with him and this is what he said. I believe the Bible is the Word of God,’ he said, ‘and I see all the foolishness in evolution theory. The main thing of course is that evolutionists have never come up with one indisputable piece of evidence. The top one is the “missing link?”. Something is always missing. The absurdity of it all is beyond reason.’
I "ditto" you Mr. Hart. I too believe that the Bible is the Word of God. Every bit of it! I also see all the foolishness in evolution theory. You encourage me to speak out for our God, who should get all the Glory, in all things,(especially for His creation). If others have the guts to speak out against My God, I surely should have the guts to speak out for Him.
See you in Paradise!

Grand Forks

2007-04-12T15:00:00.000-05:00

Tomorrow right before second recess we are heading to one of my favourite places in the world; Grand Forks. As a child my family and about 10 others would pack up and head south for a weekend of swimming and shopping. We took up a whole wing at the North Star Inn. Oh what fun it was! I don't know what it is about that place, but to this day I still get that same excitement I had when I was 8, and had 10 bucks burning a whole in my pocket to spend at target. I couldn't wait to see the different toys, and spend the whole weekend playing with it.(it usually ended up being a barbie) In those days, Jeff and I could head off to the toy section alone while mom checked out the latest house holds and dad went to buy his 4 pair of rustlers; one of every colour. Dad is so funny, when he likes something he buys at least 4. I'll never forget when walmart came to town (gf), and dad went shopping with mom and I. He found these Shasta jeans, he wrestled with the idea of,"should we go to kmart and get the rustlers, or should I get the Shasta's? after all they looked great, and were only 9.89. How could you go wrong? Needless to say, it did. They didn't fit like a glove and after storing them in his closet for about 10 years he got up the courage to offer them to Jeff for work pants. The only one that took them was the local thrift and gift. I think Jason may have been offered them too. I remember when my grandma took her daughters and granddaughters for a weekend. She bought all us girls owl earings (which I still have and wear). We shopped and shopped, and at the end of the day we convinced her to come swimming with us. after a few cups of that 7-up wine, she popped herself in a bathing suit, bra and all, and amused all of us! My cousin Paul often has his birthday when we went. I can still see those colorful donuts on a stick at the North star Inn pool side as we celebrated his special day. I remember wrestling with my brother on the freshly made beds, and flipping from one to the other (I just jumped, Jeff was the dare devil). I remember lieing in bed at night after about 8 hours of swimming and barely able to keep my eyes opened cause they burned so bad(from the chlorine). I remember waking up early and watching scooby doo, and all the other great cartoons that we didn't get at home. The memories are endless.....I think that is why I love it so much. Now I'm taking my kids, and guess what? They love it the same. They can't stop talking about it. Everyday we have the count down, and everyday they ask why we can't leave earlier. (I'm totally with them on that one.) Thank you mom and dad for creating those memories for me, and making it a special place. I probably won't be able to sleep tonight either.

First born

2007-03-13T09:09:00.000-05:00

11 years ago today we were blessed with the arrival of our first born. We were so thankful for this special gift from God. After having 2 miscarriages, we weren't sure if parenting was in the cards for us. Our little man took his time coming. After a spinal, and a visit from the surgeon doing c sections that day, and a few hours of pushing, his dad convinced him it was time. Allan James was finally born, a beautiful little boy with blond hair on a coned shaped head. He was perfect. A little purple, but to us perfect. Compared to my other deliveries, his was the most challenging. I didn't know it at the time, so all was well, he was finally born, and I could finally meet my first blood relative. Someone that was apart of me, someone that had the same genes as me. Someone that might have the same eyes, nose, or smile. The sight of him was overwhelming. A little person given to me straight from the hand of God. What a gift. James Allan, or Allan James? What was his name going to be? Allan James it was. Allan, after my brother who made his way to heaven 4 years earlier, and James after a very special man, who taught us so much about our Saviour, who also was now with Jesus. He would be a constant reminder of 2 very special men in our life. As parents, you wonder who he will take after, will he love sports, will he love to laugh, who will he be like? And then you wait.......and to our surprise he has taken after a uncle he has grown to love, yet has never met. Oh how he wishes he could show uncle Jeff, his bow, pellet gun, air soft pistol, his deer antlers that hang in his room, the fox skin mom bought at a garage sale, how his can kick but in Sega. oh how he would love to go hunting with him, and sit in a tree for hours just to wait for the sight of a deer. Oh how I wish it all for him too. Today we will be gathering with about 8 young men and celebrate the life of our son. The air soft guns will be drawn, and the war will begin. Hot dogs,chips, pop and cupcakes will be served. What a privilege it is to celebrate life. Help us God to be good stewards of what you have given us; our children. We love who you have become in these 11 years Allan. We are so proud of you. Happy Birthday!

minds

2007-02-23T13:47:00.000-06:00

Hi there blogland buddies, sorry for the stale mate entertainment you've been recieving here at Schmidt happens. a few weeks ago, one of my Anne Shirleys shared a quote with me that has been on my mind. It definately has challenged me in my conversations. I figure it is blog worthy, you tell me what you think. Here it is, "small minds talk about people, average minds talk about events, and great minds talk about ideas." I wish I could tell you who wrote it. chances are my Anne Shirley won't be able to sleep until she has retrieved it out of her filing cabinet. I guess the question or challenge is, what kind of mind do you have?

nose condensation

2007-01-12T13:47:00.000-06:00

It all started at the local gym, where I was preparing my body for the Mexican sun in the tanning bed. After my sweaty hot tan, I got in my cold, apparently frozen vehicle and the crazy beast wouldn't start. I didn't want to flood it so I waited and tried again, cause I knew if I needed the help of good old Rambo, I wanted to impress him with the right answer, for he would be sure to ask. After a few tries, I gave up and called my beloved up. I think he loves rescuing me, cause he was all to happy to come and help me out. This is where the story begins. We were working hard in and out of his warm truck, trying to figure out what the fords problem was. Actually it was my hubby who was in and out and I say there warm, my body still radiating the fake sun I just soaked in. Anyway.... He jumps into the truck and I noticed his nose was dripping. So I politely said you have some snot dripping from your nose, you may want to take care of that. Well, he proceeds to tell me in is just condensation. What!!!I hollered and laughed at the same time. It is snot!!! How in the world could it be condensation? Your hot nose meeting the cold air. I couldn't stop laughing. Haven't you ever tasted the stuff? It is not water it is salty snot! No use arguing with Einstein, so nothing more was said about the condensation. The van wouldn't start, we had to tow it home. Yes me in the van and Dick Van Dike in the truck. Now that's another story in it self. Oh, Schmidt happens!

Singletons

2006-12-11T14:03:00.000-06:00

My mother decided to use a gift certificate that was soon to expire. Her and Dad were heading to the city, so why not try it out what was she going to loose. Her head definitely needed some attention. And like most of us, when we want a haircut, we want it yesterday. So off to singletons she went. As she put it, " I had some misgiving when I walked in to a large saloon, with only 2 stylist." I am sure she meant salon, I don't think she entered cowboys zone with guns and shootouts . Anyway she proceeds to tell me that a large man was her designated hairdresser. She told him, that she was looking for a trim, especially around the ears. As he starts cutting she has had enough experience with good hairdressers, that she could tell right away she may have made a mistake, but it was to late this man was in the midst of his creation. After the styling was completed mom asks this big man, " So what's your name if I decide to come back here?" I think this was considered small talk. I don't think there was any intent of her going back. The man, in his gruff voice says, "Bo." Mom who is a little hard of hearing asks again, not sure of what he said. After a few tries she asks, "like B...O...."? (which I found very humorous.) The master piece was finished, mom submitted her gift certificate, and waited for dad to pick her up. All the while wondering how she was going to fix this disaster. This morning dad calls, and asks if I have time to give him a hair cut. Sure I replied. Could you give mom one too? We will be there at 10:00. My dad says to her, "Oh Hon, the difference between a good and a bad hair cut is a few weeks. She replied, no the difference is a trip to shells. Yes, we fixed her up nice. She is now ready to go out in public. Bo, that was a mulet gone wrong.

Dream life.

2006-12-10T16:10:00.000-06:00

There are days that I find myself discontent. Actually many days. I really don't like this about myself, never the less this is who I am. I look at my life and am discouraged at the furnishing that were picked up from the local dump, not Wiens Mible Darp. I get ticked at my husband for not finishing all the unfinished projects around the house. I am tired of looking at the trimless door I enter everyday about 30 times. I would like to have 6 matching chairs, not to have to use the piano bench for one more meal. The mail clutter on my counter is a source of contention. My 4 lovely children can all single handedly drive me crazy. And my husband, who doesn't seem to speak my language, doesn 't let me boss him around!!!(which is the way it should be, but it drives me nutty). The list could go on an embarrassingly long time, but the fact of the matter is, I have a dream life. A dear friend recently got diagnosed with an extremely debilitating disease, and would trade places with me in a heart beat. The whinny kids and all. My life is his dream. A little house, a few kids(maybe not 4, but a few), and to be able to get up and go to work. Thank you friend for helping me see clearly. I am still praying for a miracle for you.

just checking

2006-12-06T14:53:00.000-06:00

ok, my confidence is low.....Just needed to see if I could do this twice.

Iam so a computer wiz

2006-12-06T14:29:00.000-06:00

I can hardly believe this. I am so computer illiterate....and I think I may have entered back into blog land ALL BY MYSELF!!! (Yes, I have independance issues, but who cares???) Not only do I feel more comfortable in my skin than I ever have, my massage therapist (who I have only seen twice, but I think we have a connection) thinks I have toned arms. Eat your heart out Joyce!! That was the best 20 bucks I have spent in a long time. A full body massage and got one of my emotional tanks filled. Well, lets see if this really worked! So good to be with you all again.

pesch cote

2006-03-06T21:42:00.000-06:00

I decided that an "e" was more appropriate in the word pesch, than Pisch. In my previous blog I mentioned that during my kitchen fire my husband was out hunting for a pc, for those who are not fluent in low German, direct translation is pee cat, better known as a skunk! Thursday night was not a success. My not so hunting husband came home empty handed. Friday night we were to have company and have a sleep over, yes the whole "fam damily." Saturday schedule had lots of snowmobiling and playing outside with 7 children. We couldn't have a skunk hanging around. Saturday came and went with no sign of stinky. Sunday was to be another fun day outside with dad, and the gt snowracers. It wasn't long after lunch our 2 girls playing downstairs spot a cute little furry friend walking through their bedroom window well . Needless to say daddy's nap got cut short and the hunt was on. First under the wheelbarrel planter under our living room window. No he is leaving, no he's back. Merle ready for combat, heads outside, only to find he has made his way under our front concrete steps. After banging around and a lot of standing around, the smoking him out seems to work. The Pesch cote makes a run for it, only to find eternity at the end of the tunnel. Hurray, he is dead! We celebrated over a pot of coffee with our neighbors. Now we can sleep at night. Oh back up a little. I forgot to mention that in between the banging around and smoking him out he laid a good one under our steps which has crept into our house. The cote is dead, but his smell is not! After a stinky night sleep, I decided to find a remedy for the rude smell that was lurking in my home. Off to bigway I go to purchase every smelly plug in and Automatic fragrance mister I could afford. My brilliant mother found a recipe to pour over the sprayed area. Absolutely I was going to try everything, fearing we are all going be smelling of skunk soon. I proceed out to the infamous spot and start pouring my bleach solution only to find fresh foot prints. No....Yes....Another pesch! Out came rambo once again.....Only to find his path leading to the tracks. Is he gone for good? Will he come back? Will he find another partner and not bare to live in the same home as his previous partner? ....Oh Schmidt happens!!

schmidt happens

2006-03-03T12:00:00.000-06:00

Yes I know I have proven already to be a poor excuse of a blogger. Not only do I have a spelling weakness, my memory also seems to be failing me. I forgot my user name and just recently, like this morning I lucked out on one of my guesses, and whula....I got in. This morning started out with a bang or should I say flame....I was doing the domestic thing and baking muffins for my kids. I noticed a flashing in my oven and looked in, to a good sized flame . You are told what to do in grade school what to do and all of a sudden you have no clue. (maybe its my memory thing), "Merle"...I yell only to find him in our back yard trying to hunt down a stinky rodent "ein pisch cote", that we discovered yesterday. Don't those things hibernate? Anyway, I'll save that for another blog... so I run to our back door and yell to him that we have a fire in our oven. Oh yes, I then remember you are to throw, or sprinkle what ever you wish, baking soda or was in baking powder?????I grab the first baking article I could find and start throwing it frantically in my oven,in hand fulls. By this time all my kids are up, with a bit of fear in their eyes...wow, I think. That was the quickest wakeup ever...Yelling "fire", may be my new wakeup tactic. What started the fire? Looked like something plastic, but too melted to know what from. So the next hour was spent trying to remove this hard baked plastic from my oven, and racks. Not to mention trying to get all the smoke and burnt plastics smell from our humble abode. The kids were cold, the windows were open, and mama was not a happy camper! The kids made it to school. Possibly smelling of a little smoke. I did eventually get my coffee. The muffins are still unbaked on the counter, but all is well.... Schmidt just happen!

I am now officially a blogger

2006-02-24T21:13:00.000-06:00

I am presently at our blogging friends place, and am writing my first blog. I just want everyone to know that I am now presently on the air in blog land, and I feel so apart of a group, like I'am in a loop! Really the only reason I am setting up this blog is so I can make comments to my friends blogs without having to write down a password to proceed writting my comment. Where do I get that password anyway? Who is in charge of blog land anyway? Good bye for now, I need another cup of coffee and some stimulating conversation, since my husband had been a tv Nazi (not the old man clothing store, said my husband), since the olympics has been on. '