May 7 - May 13

  Here we are looking at the middle of November and once again I am sitting down and playing a giant game of catch up! As I spend time from now until the end of December writing down the details for the year I am reminded of how much we have been through,  we have had the saddest days and some of the best days. So here we go!
   Monday May 7th was another Monday with the kids all having school and me making my weekly Walmart trip. After picking Alec up from school we planted flowers in my flower boxes on the deck. After school Rachel had her last soccer game of the season and we all enjoyed the nice evening watching her play.

  Tuesday I joined Becca's class for her end of the year field trip. We went to North Platte and visited the fire station, then went to lunch at Burger King, followed by bowling and laser tag at Wild Bills. It was a great day and I always enjoy my one on one time with my kids. Babs picked Alec up from school and enjoyed the afternoon with him while I was gone. That evening we worked in the garden and planted flowers in the front flower bed.

Ready for the Day

  Wednesday I dropped the kids off at school and then went to Walmart to grab a couple things I needed to plant my garden. Creative Landscape came and put cement edging in around the house and I got the garden planted by the end of the day. Grandma Kohle was admitted to the hospital in Norfolk and had an ERCP done which came back as possible cancer in her common bile duct or pancreas. At that time we did not know she was just having lots of stomach pain and was not able to eat or drink much.
  Thursday the kids had school and we took all the Teacher's their end of the year teacher gifts. I'm not sure why I never take pictures of these but each year the kids give their teachers the same gifts. Rachel takes a bag with summer supplies and a bag of M&Ms. Becca takes a basket with stuff to make smore's and forget-me-not seeds. Alec took a bucket full of all the things his teachers lost (I.e., lifesavers, marbles, gum, crayons, erasers, and such). I mowed after picking Alec up from school and that night after school Becca had her final soccer game of the season. She loved playing and can't wait for next year.

Alec's Mother's Day gift

Becca's Mother's Day gift

   Friday grandma was not getting any better and neither was the outlook. There were many unknowns still at this point but with Mike and I's Napa trip coming up the following week I decided I better go to Norfolk and spend some time with Grandma. I took the girls to school that morning and then went back that afternoon for field day before I headed to Norfolk. Mike took the kids to the ranch for the weekend and they had a great time. 

Alec also gets to compete with the kids and loves it.

Alec and Becca on the same team!

 Friday evening I got to Norfolk late and got a chance to talk to mom quick before she headed home with Sandi and Axel. Mom had hurt her back and was not getting any better so it was hard for her to get around at this time. She decided to go home for the weekend as they were not going to get any final results until Monday and they planned to send Grandma home as there was nothing the Dr in Norfolk could do. It is funny how different a situation is when you are hundreds of miles away. I drove most the way to Norfolk upset because I didn't feel like I was getting all the information that was going on with Grandma. I was upset that no one called Mike to see what he thought of the situation knowing that it was something he worked with every day. I was upset that I had to wait until Friday to go to Norfolk as the kids had so much going on. When I arrived at Debbie's mom could tell I was upset. She was also hurting and they all had so many unanswered questions and so much hope. At the time no one knew just how short of time was left. At the time there was hope that Grandma could possible get some strength back and fight whatever was making her sick. After a good talk and cry with Mom and Cindy, Mom left and we went to the hospital to see Grandma. She had already lost so much weight since the horse races and was looking yellow due to decreased liver function. She was very sleepy that night so we all said hi and bye and went out for supper. I stayed with Patsy that night.

  We got up Saturday morning and went to the hospital. I spent the whole day with Grandma and had a great time. She was still unable to eat much but was involved in most our conversations that day. They moved her from ICU to the floor when they found out they could not get her moved to Atkinson until Monday. We talked about old times and we had many visitors. We enjoyed seeing the triplets, Adam, Tessa, Becky, Justin, Jameson, Kole, Jim, Linda, Deb, Derric, Dylan, Devan, Patsy, Amy and Tera. As the day went on you could tell Grandma was coming to the realization that this was the end. That she would go home to Atkinson but probably not to her home. She spent some time talking legal work with Adam and talked about things around her house and paperwork that she had completed. It was one of the hardest and best weekend I could have had. I left Norfolk on Sunday planning to take the kids to see her when Mike and I returned from our trip. I said my good byes also knowing that she may not make it that long. I drove home in peace knowing that Grandma had the best care that could have been offered. She was the best looking sick person any of us could have wanted for her last Easter and weekend at the horse races. She lived each of those last days surrounded by the family that she loved so much. My kids were able to Facetime her before I left for my trip and their last memories of her were some of the best days of their lives!

   Sunday when I got home the kids were very excited to show me my mother's day gift! A new lawn mower. We then all watched a movie that night and got ready for the last week of school. 

Maas Family before Dylan went back to Lincoln.