Gratitude..joy...disbelief.

I have been truly humbled by the grace and love of friends who have come to assist Jason and I as we seek to afford Jason's recovery time after surgery. There are not many occasions where I have been rendered completely speechless, but tonight I sat with my hands over my mouth and tears in my eyes. We have not met our end goal.. but 900.00 will still help out tremendously and we are grateful for every ounce of help we receive. We are blessed. Thank you. Thank you...Thank you.


http://www.gofundme.com/4rtz0w

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Crying down Highway 237..

This morning I packed the kids in the car to head to Thursday morning work shop at church. Thursday morning workshop is a group of ladies young and older who gather as a supportive bunch to talk and chat while working on various crafts. We happen to be in high gear getting ready for the Annual Craft Fair we host every October to raise funds for the United Methodist Women. I enjoy going every Thursday with the kids because it's a chance for me to sit and chat with my Aunt and Grandmothers, and all of the other women I have to come to know in my lifetime of growing up at FUMC. So this morning I packed the diaper bag, made sure I had three diapers for each kid, re-stocked the Marine corps cami print diaper wipes case, threw in a couple Gerber Grabbers for Emma's lunch, prepared a bottle for later, grabbed leftover mac n cheese for Hunter's lunch, his water, changes of clothes for each kid, my phone, car keys, and buckled the kids in their car seats. The drive to Sunnyvale from Fremont is about 30 mins, and I usually play "Elmo Song" or "More Elmo song!" for Hunter since that's all he ever asks for, but today he asked for "Mommy's song!" So I put the CD I own of my songs I have written and recorded over the past 7 years. Each song has a very special meaning to me, and was inspired by events in my life, or emotions I went through at a season of my youth and because I attribute emotion with music, hearing songs again usually bring up the emotions I felt at the time of writing them.

A song I wrote after my brother's return from Iraq came on. That song is extremely emotional for me because it is a mourning for the small child like innocent brother I knew growing up as I see this new war hardened man before me. I was immersed in the song as I drove down 237 when I heard Hunter AND Emma chiming into my consciousness like little bells.. They were singing whole heartedly and with abandon to my song...MY song! My children....little beings that I created with my husband in love were now enjoying and singing a song that was already very emotional for me, but now this new layer of JOY was painted over this song of grief that I had written many years ago. It was poetic and beautiful and I wept as I drove down the highway. I wept because I was so happy to see my children enjoying something that meant so much to me, and because of the new memory I could tie to that song.

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Today..I wrote my Congressman.

After reading this article today...

http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2013/oct/8/shutdown-leaves-families-killed-soldiers-no-funera/

I could not remain silent. I cried. I cried for all of the families who not only have to suffer the loss of their loved ones, but who now suffer further pain because of this Government shutdown. I wrote the following letter to my local Congressman. I don't know if he will even read it...or how much good it will actually do, but short of storming the castle this is as much as I can do right now as a voter.

Here is my letter:

Mr. Swalwell,

My name is Corinne Oestreich. I am 26 years old and a mother of two small children. I have been married to my husband, a combat veteran of the United States Marine Corps for over 4 years and have been a Democratic voter since 2004. I am beyond heart broken at recent events in our Government. I am a supporter of the Affordable Care act. I understand its importance, and I understand the problems the Act has and agree it needs some reform at a future time. I can see where Tea Party Republicans are upset and desire change but I cannot understand why Tea Party Republicans who claim to be avid supporters of our Military and their families condone and allow this Government shutdown to continue when it results in families of our fallen Marines and Soldiers denied their Grievance pay. I am in tears. A very very close and dear friend of mine lost her husband in Aug 2011 in Afghanistan. I remember having to watch her suffer the loss of her husband while she was 5 months pregnant with two other  small boys under the age of 4. It was a very very hard time for her, and she depended upon that pay after her husband passed to get all of his funeral things in order. She was able to afford her flight to see his body carried off the airplane upon landing back in his country. She was able to have at least some ease on her mind that financially she would be supported as she sorted out how her new life would go. This Government shutdown is HURTING Americans...hurting our military families in their time of pain and when they need our support most of all. Not only are our hero's families forgotten in this time, but families who depend on WIC to feed their babies, or even our Veterans who depend on the GI bill to pay for school, or active military who rely on tuition assistance. I can't help crying at how wrong this all is. It makes me angry to know that members of Congress are protected financially by the 27th amendment when our Gold Star military families suffer not only emotional loss but also the pay that is needed to get them stability in their time of grief. Please. I cannot beg you enough. Please represent me, my family, and the friends close to my heart who have lost loved ones over seas. Tell Congress to end this government shutdown NOW. I can tell you one thing, if action is not taken immediately I will not be voting in any constituents in the next election.

Sincerely,
A concerned Combat Veteran's wife,

Corinne Oestreich

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A little slice of Heaven

Jason stayed home from work today. He wasn't feeling too great and hung out on the couch for most of the day being crawled on by babies. I got a LOT of cleaning done however because he was able to keep the kids occupied. Tonight after I put Emma to bed around 7:30 (she was exhausted now that she crawls all over), Jason started a fire in the fireplace. It was a chilly day and we both commented about how it smelled like fall outside. I tucked Emma into her crib, and snuck out to the den where Hunter and daddy were cuddled up watching Micky and whispered "Hey guys!! Come here!" and they snuck over into the livingroom where the fire was, and together the three of us snuggled on the couch watching the fire burn. It was a precious moment that I want burned (pun intended) into my memory forever. Hunter was still, and not wiggly, and Jason had his arm protectively around both of us. It felt like Heaven. This was my family! It was a sweet time for Jason and I to give Hunter that special attention he needed. Hunter had one hand in daddy's and one hand in mine and kept giggling at us. We told him how much we loved him, and even snuck a few kisses while Hunter told us what colors her saw in the fire. We determined that every color of the rainbow was in the fire. :) What a special start to Fall!

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The Adventures of Hunter's Airplane

A week ago, before Jason left for work, Hunter came running up to him with his toy airplane. He didn't want daddy to leave for work after a morning of playing and wanted daddy to take his toy airplane to work with him. Jason laughed and said "Ok buddy..I'll bring him with me to work today and he can be my helper." Hunter laughed and said "Ok!". Our day after Daddy left for work was pretty normal, diaper changes, walk to the park etc, and then I started to get the pictures from Jason. Pictures of Hunter's Airplane helping him at work!! I showed Hunter the pictures and Hunter started laughing and laughing! He thought it was the coolest thing that his airplane was with daddy!! Jason was so creative and even made a device that spun so the airplane could fly at his work. Its something that Hunter still talks about..the day his airplane went to work with daddy.

 

Airplane supervising the other workers. "Hmm yes...good job."

"Nice welds Eric"

 

"Hey!! I'm flying!!"

 "Ready for take off..today was great."

Soon to come...The Adventures of "Jessie" at daddy's work. ;)

 

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Morning Glories in my wake...

When I was a little girl, I had a bedroom in the back of my parents house that faced the back yard. My window looked into the garden my mom had worked tirelessly every spring to prune and weed into a jewel sprinkled rainbow of flowers. One of my favorite morning sights as a young girl was to see the blue and purple morning glories that she planted, bloom as they wrapped around my bedroom window. I always thought it was fascinating how they would close up at night and unfurl themselves each morning as the sun and dew hit their petals. Morning Glories for me became a joyous reminder of my childhood, and the peace I would feel safe in my bed each morning as I gazed out my window to see their blue and purple glory.

As I am now an adult, with my own family, and my own home, I have decided to plant morning glories. I planted them in the flower pot in my front yard, and plan on attaching a trellace for them to climb and wrap themselves wildly along the front of the house. Even though we will not be in this house forever, I feel like it would be my way of leaving a new memory for whomever rents this house next. Maybe it will bring a happy memory for whatever little girl can wake up seeing them bloom, that maybe Emma will attribute them to happy times from her own childhood...or Hunter for that matter.

Here is my flower pot now... they are growing slowly..but the snails and slugs have been fighting me for their leaves.

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Confessions of a "Stay at Home" Mom.

I know every mom has days like today. Days where you look up at the sky/whatever God you pray to, and chant your mantra "I am grateful for my kids, I am grateful for my kids. I am doing a great and wonderful thing by staying home with them." all whilst your two and a half year old screams and kicks the hardwood floor because you wouldn't let him watch "Dinosaurs" for the 3rd time today, and your 7 month old has bitten your shoulder, while stirring the rice that has now burned to the bottom of the pan on the stove. Oh and then your phone rings.. good luck with that. I have small milestones that I look forward to on hard days to get me through.. things like turning the coffee maker on at 8am when I've gotten up with Emma, and the smell of the freshly brewed coffee splashes into my cup, or 4pm, when we go for our afternoon walk in the stroller to the elementary school park down the road and I let Hunter run around the campus and play on the playground. If we still live here in 2 years I want him to be familiar with the elementary school he will go to. :)

Today was rough. I feel like Hunter hears me ask him to do something and thinks "Oh mom's voice isn't too mad yet, I guess I can keep not listening to her." Then when I yell he finally goes "OH!! Sorry!!" and then does it. I would like for him to listen to me before it gets to that point. :/ 8 o clock came and I found myself on craigslist, browsing through part time office positions.. I wasn't seriously looking, but I was fantasizing what it would be like to be in an office again, with people my own age, having adult conversations (well not ADULT conversations but you know what I mean.) Sometimes the mommies at the playground weird me out, its hard to make friends and have conversations with them. This mom of twin 18 month olds was at the park today and she let her toddler wander right up to the road... I was like "uhhhhh." and watching the street ready to run after him if she didn't. Her friend was a boho chic organic vegan purist dressed in something I'm sure was woven in hemp. It was hard to take her seriously as she explained that her daughter was only allowed to eat food from unprocessed plants who had died prior to being plucked from the earth. (Insert raised eyebrows and crickets) To each her own I guess, as I stuffed Hunter's mouth with a doritos chip and wiped the cheese on my own shirt.

Anyways.. I'm not sure where I'm going with this post except that today was rough, I miss being a working adult who interacts with other adults on a daily basis, and the kisses from Hunter and Emma at bed time made the whole day worth it...however if I had wine in the house you BET I would have poured a glass... Goodnight.

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