Spring Soccer

Well Spring Soccer has Sprung! And you are never going to believe who they got to coach. I know what you are thinking and don't feel bad I am thinking it too. I truly have no business coaching. The absurdity of this was also confirmed when I told friends I was coaching soccer and one of them got choked laughing so hard. (Thanks, Tracy) Turns out those people at the Y should recruit for the Army, they do not take no for an answer. So my arm was twisted, and I am now the coach for Emmy's soccer team. I bet you also did not know that you do not have to have ever played, watched or even like soccer to coach a 6 year old team. I am telling you they were desperate. Turns out my skill of yelling at kids is a plus, though.

Steve and I have the same debate every sports season. I did not play a lot of sports as a kid, he did and wants our kids to play. I want to sleep in on Saturdays not stand in the cold Oklahoma March weather and watch kids run back and forth. My kids have played a lot of stuff over the past years, meaning I seldom win the argument whether or not they play a sport each season. It is harder than you think to make an argument for laziness. I will continue to try, baseball is coming up and there is already talk about it here. This one is going to be hard to fight. I have always been a push over for a boy in a baseball cap. The first time I saw Steve he was wearing a baseball hat and it was love at first sight, and now all these years later our son loves to wear this worn out old baseball hat and he looks so much like Steve and it just melts my heart. It is starting to look like we will be playing baseball this summer. ; )

In Memory of My Lovely Mother in Law: Doris Rimel, R.N.

Well a chapter is finally closed in the Rimel book. I completed nursing school in December 2008 and on Monday of this week I took my State Board Exam for liscensure. On Wednesday morning I found out I passed. So it is official, I am a registered nurse in the state of Oklahoma. Now to start another chapter.... I do not currently work which is unfathomable to many of the people I graduated with. However, among the many valuable things I learned while in nursing school, I learned I want to be home. My family works best when I am at home. My children and husband are happier when I am home. School for me was not an immediate necessity to provide an income for my family, it was kind of like an insurance policy. I have witnessed so many women especially in my own family that have had to take over the roll as provider for their family. I have seen first hand how difficult it was for them to make a living and mother their children. Steve and I have always talked about, what would happen to us if something happened to him. We have life insurance and that takes care of immediate needs but too many times I have seen young women lose their husbands and the life insurance is gone too soon. Nursing is a well paying field with flexible schedules, and there is always jobs available. No matter what the economy does there will always be a need for people in the medical field. Now that does not mean that I will not work unless I have to. I would not mind working a part time (very part time) job. I will wait until the perfect job for my family is available, extra money is always helpful.

The month of February has been very eventful. While it ended on a positive with my passing my boards it began very sad. On February 2, Steve's mom passed away. We are still adjusting to life without her. Steve's parents were married for 40 years and I know the loss of Doris will be felt most by her husband Don. Her three kids Steve, Hope and David also have a had a difficult time with the loss of their mother as well as the grandkids who will miss their memaw terribly. We look forward to being united with her in heaven one day. It gives us peace to know that she suffers no longer. Still we miss her each and everyday. Please continue to remember our family in your prayers as we continue our lives without her here.

The above picture is Doris's senior picture, it is one of my very favorite pictures of her. She was so beautiful and I love the note written to her future husband Don.

Mom My Ride

Sorry to all of the readers, I started this blogging thing on a bad week, it has been crazy and I have been busy!!!! I wanted to share this you tube video for those who have not yet seen it. It is so funny, and hits a little too close to home.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HEFE3B0Rje0


I hope everyone is having a good week, I will try to keep up my blog better after the next week. My adoring husband read my first post and said it was a little boring and that I should post more of the REAL life that goes on here. Frankly, I love you guys and feel like you love me but I am not sure just how much REAL RIMEL life you guys can handle. So here is a taste...

for starters I have been running all day and when I say running I mean driving (those who know and have seen me know I dont run, I'll leave that to my runner friend Bethany) The vehicle I have been driving in closely resembles the one in the you tube video, gross but true. Next, my house is a disaster, major disaster. My dishwasher has been out for almost a month, the problem was finally diagnosed and to not get too technical: a lid to sippy cup fell in the bottom while it was running and burned it up, we need a new one. When it first quit, I thought it would be good for my girls to see how easy they have it with a dishwasher and what a chore it can be doing it all by hand. The reality is I and I alone have learned what a chore it is and am tired of washing them all by hand, hopefully we will have one installed by the weekend. It is hard to keep up with this many people eating and drinking all day and everyone hides when I start complaining about the dishes. As I mentioned my house is a wreck. I started laundry last night I have about 85% folded, nothing is put away yet. I was too tired to finish last night and tonight I just tried not to go into the living room so that I would not have to look at it tonight. So until tomorrow morning, if you want clothes, you can get them out of your stack on the coffee table but if you knock a stack over, I'll scream!! I really hate it when my house is dirty and I cannot relax or really be in a good mood until it is clean, so tomorrow I am cleaning. I hope to get it all clean, but will try to be realistic because all 4 kids have dentist appts. tomorrow and Steve thinks that he is sick and needs a dr appt tomorrow. I told you it was a crazy week.
Well there is my attempt at a post about my real life, not glamerous, but very REAL.

I am looking forward to going on a date with my husband tonight. Fortunately we have family nearby and we are able to trade babysitting with my sister and her husband. Unfortunately for them we have 4 kids and they only have two so it probably isn't a fair trade off. However, they are generous and always make us feel that it is not a big deal to keep are crew. Our night out wont be extravagant we are using a gift certificate to Applebees my SIL got me for my birthday. I know Applebees does not exactly scream romance, but hey after 14 years and 4 kids being allowed to eat out and not have to cut up anyone's food is romance. It feels good to be in this place in our marriage. You feel grateful to just spend time alone with each other whether it is at a expensive restaurant or at home on the couch with a redbox move and some Ben and Jerry's after the kids are in the bed (our usual date night routine). I hope every couple can make time for each other whether you have the money to go out or only a couple of bucks for some secret ice cream. It is always a good idea to reconnect. Happy Valentine's Day to all of my friends and their husbands.