Silver Anniversary

When you get married you're all caught up in the wedding part of things-the ceremony, the dress, the reception, the band. You forget that there is the marriage part. In almost every ceremony the person officiating says, "Do you take this person for... better or worse, richer or poorer, in sickness and in health." When you're young you only think that there will be the better, the richer and the health. It's not until the passage of time that you realize that there is worse, poorer and sickness.

In the last 25 years we have experienced all these things in our marriage. When I got married at 21 I didn't know what I didn't know. Now that I'm 47 I still don't know what I don't know, but I know a lot more than I did. The worse, the poorer, and the sickness have definitely made the better, the richer and the health that much more sweet.

Reflecting on 8th grade

I am sitting in my classroom on a Saturday afternoon boxing 11 years of my professional life. Next year I will no longer be a middle school teacher but a high school teacher. While I am excited about the curriculum in high school I am sad to be leaving middle schoolers.

At the end of every year I have students write a thank you note to someone at the middle school who has effected their life. Over the years I have gotten my fair share of notes. I have taught over 1000 students here in Hillsdale and in looking at these notes I have had a positive impact on many of them. Here are just a few of the comments I have gotten-some are more serious than others:

I love your hair
You push us to all do our best
You are willing to put kids before yourself and there's really nothing more anyone can ask of you.
You make school fun
I like that you are a kid at heart-you have a firm side and a fun-loving childish side.
You showed me how smart I really am, and that there's a purpose to coming to school.
You're like my mom and that makes me happy in class.
I would love for you to teach 10th grade English. (I am going to be teaching a section of 10th grade English!!!)
I love how you dress
You have beautiful shoes.

I hope that when my students find out that they will have me again they're happy.

SNAFU

With every up there is a down. As Matt is getting all geared up to leave for Rhode Island he gets a call yesterday that his start date is backed up yet again. He is not reporting in August; his new start date is October 23.

Needless to say he is not very happy. This is the third time that his start date has been backed up. If anyone knows someone who can make a call - he sure could use it.

DIYers

Dan and I watch a lot of DIY shows. Last year we added onto our back deck; this year we are adding cabinets and a concrete counter top. We made the counter top yesterday and took it out of the mold today. For a first attempt we are pretty happy with it. We need to clean it, sand it, and seal it before it can be used.

We had been looking online for suppliers. Everything was so expensive. We finally got smart and called the local concrete guy. They had everything we needed - all for only $50.00

24

Every year part of our 4th of July celebration revolves around Matt's birthday. This birthday was even more special since he has only a month before he reports to OCS. We celebrated with the Ozogs, we celebrated with the Rodens and Matt also had his annual Matt Fest. By the end of the weekend he was one tired puppy. (Are you still a puppy at 24?)

Roden part of the weekend

It was so very nice to have all my brothers and their families together. It has been 5 years since we have all been in the same place at the same time. I know it made my parents happy to have all their children around them too. I don't think they would trade any of us.

The big kids

Uncle Phil and Neil

Polish 4th of July-Garage party included

FAMILY!!Do you think there is enough to drink? What a great day - Allen and Sarah did an excellent job hosting 60 family members. For those of you reading this who are not part of the Ozog Family this is not everyone. If I had to guess it is about 2/3 of the family. I think that the word is spreading, and next year will be bigger and better than this year. Morgan and Brian playing Corn Hole-Morgan is now the Corn Hole Queen of Plano TX Dan - the grill master. It was nice seeing cousins I haven't seen in 25 years-one of the perks of reconnecting with facebook. The highlight of the evening had to be when we had to take cover from a summer storm. We immediately moved to the garage-where Chris broke out the accordion. We drank, we sang, we reminisced about garage parties from back in the day, and we danced. Not to brag, but I am the Polka Queen of the group. Matt was so impressed with my Polka skills he mentioned it on the way home. What was most awesome about the day is we all picked up where we left off. When I was a kid we would get together all the time - if there was a holiday the Ozogs were celebrating. I am very blessed to have such a wonderfully close family, and I know if I ever needed anything I could call any of my cousins and they would be there for me. How great is that!!

Look at those guns

It's the beginning of a great weekend. It started yesterday with the invasion of the Chicago Rodens. It continues today with the arrival of the Texas Rodens - along with a dose of Ozog Family fun.

Last night after dinner the 4 boys took dip in the pool. Here they are giving me their best bodybuilder "pose".