A question that I was asked by my two girls this week. I thought long and hard on how to respond to this question. I think that it is important that the girls know the "history" behind Thanksgiving; with the pilgrims and the Native Americans, but they learn that in school. In 2008, it's not so much about pilgrims and Native Americans anymore, but more about the meaning behind Thanksgiving. Then I started to think a bit more about the meaning of Thanksgiving and how it's different among different families. For example, I sure many families in Cedar Rapids are thankful for a place to call home after the flood this summer. With this being said, I thought that I would talk about what Thanksgiving means to me and what makes me thankful.
I am thankful for the opportunity to spend this holiday with my friends and family. Living so close to my family can be trying at times, but is a blessing most of the times. It's comforting to know that I have such a loving and supportive family so close to help out in my times of need. I'm not sure what I would do without them being so close by, bailing me out of so tight situations and tough times.
I am thankful that Micheala is in good health. There was a time this summer in which Heather and I were not sure what was going to happen to her and we were scared. We cried many nights and prayed very hard. We were all pushed into her health situation with no real warning and had to fight through her surgery and recovery with positive thoughts. We found out that Micheala is a lot tougher than we gave her credit for and she recovered with flying colors. I remember the morning of her surgery and how on the trip down to the hospital I was hoping for a blow out or car trouble so I could have an excuse to not put her under the knife. I learned a lot that week about trusting the professionals and dealing with adversity that I had no control over.
I am thankful for the opportunity to watch Dylanne grow into a fine young lady. Her progression n school has knocked me off my feet. She is getting involved in many other activities and is really growing socially. She is so proud every night when she comes home from school and spells a new word for me or does math problems.
I am thankful for my beautiful and strong wife, Heather. Although she is frisky at times, she is my rock. As I watch and support her as she battles her health issues, I am amazed at the amount of strength and determination that she to overcome some of her current hurdles. I am thankful for the way that she continues to love me everyday, no matter what. Her ability to show me unconditional love, even after I make mistakes, just blows my mind and confirms the fact that I am married to the perfect woman.
I am thankful that I get to welcome my nephew to the world next year. Watching my sister go through her pregnancy is quite amazing. She seems to have a "glow" about her and it is really special to see. having her and her family in Urbana is great, as we get to see them more often and just hang out.
I am thankful for my parents and the "fun" we've had over the last 3 months, going to the Hawkeye games. I've always wanted to go to Hawkeye games with mom and dad, and was finally able to do that this year. I know that growing up the last thing you wanted to do is hang out with your parents, but now, I love every minute of it.
Finally, I am thankful for all of our friends. We have made some of the greatest friends over the past few years. Jason and Erica have been great friends. Hanging out in the yard in the summer, ice fishing in the winter, football games and the way they treat our girls like their own is what makes them so special. John and Denise have also come into our lives as special friends. We find that doing the simple things with their family is the most fun. We have many more friends that have been great throughout the years, and for that I am thankful as well.
So Thanksgiving is about being thankful for the things in your life. The good times, the bad times and the times that you'll never forget. The friends, family and the people that you meet through passing. We take this day to be thankful for the people we share on lives with on this earth and in heaven.
Happy Thanksgiving to all of you!
Thursday, November 27, 2008
Sunday, November 23, 2008
Schrock's Black and Gold Blowout
November 22, 2008 marked the first Black and Gold Blowout at the Schrock house. My neighbors talked me into having a party for the Iowa vs. Minnesota game, so I decided to go for it. I sent out invitations to a few of my neighbors, and family to come join in as the Hawkeyes stick it to the Golden Gophers. Stick it to them, they did, with a 55-0 beat down in the dome. As for my party, I had a few rules. 1) Everyone had to bring a dish to share with everyone, beer drinking makes you hungry. 2) You would only be let in the door if you were wearing Hawkeye clothes of some kind, this led to the "Keepin' It Real" competition that I will talk about in a minute. The "Keepin' It Real" competition was an award that I decided to make up and award to the person who sported the most Hawkeye gear and spirit. A certificate and traveling trophy was the award. It was a lot of fun as everyone did their best to win the award. Those in attendance were Terry and Marie Schrock, Chris, Joni and Baby Shaw, Mike, Heather, Dylanne and Micheala Schrock, John, Denise, Dylan and Jay Harris, Chad and Debs kids (Shay, Ryan and Wyatt), Chad and Deb were in Minnesota at the game and Jason and Erica Liedtke. Below are some pictures of the night.
Wyatt won the "Keepin' It Real" award. He was decked out in Hawkeye gear from head to toe including a Hawkeye jacket, onesy, sweatshirt, pants and face tattoo. Way to go Wyatt!
This is the "Shonn-o-meter" that I made to track Shonn's yardage to the single season rushing record. He needed 107 yards to break the record previously held by Tavian Banks, and got 144 yards. Shonn's picture was placed on a magnetic strip so that his progress could be tracked throughout the game. Dylan did a nice job of staying on top of this.
The certificate indicating that Wyatt won the "Keepin' It Real" award. He will keep the certificate, but the trophy will travel from year to year.
The Floyd of Rosedale is the traveling trophy for the "Keepin' It Real" award. I made this thinking it would be fun to develop a traveling trophy. Everyone seemed to be in to the idea.
Mom and Dad in their Hawkeye gear for the party. Sorry Mom, the Hawkeye slippers were not enough to win you the award.
Chris and Joni. Yes, Chris is in Hawkeye gear. When asked, Chris said that he would, "wear anything for a free beer". He was a good sport throughout the night, and might be turning the corner as far as being a Hawk fan is concerned.
Dylan Harris sporting the Hawkeye shirt. He had a tattoo on the back of his neck that said "Go Hawks". He was also in charge of the "Shonn-o-meter".
Here is Wyatt in some of his Hawkeye gear. He's upset because the Hawk game hadn't started yet. Give it time buddy.
The divas of the Black and Gold Blowout. They are Ryan, Shay, Jay, Dylanne and Micheala. They all had "Go Hawks" written on their cheeks. All of us parents think that this is a positive way to raise our kids, with Hawkeye Games!
We all had a blast and maybe next year we can have more people. Don't forget to cheer on the Hawks in whatever bowl game we play in. GO HAWKEYES!
Wyatt won the "Keepin' It Real" award. He was decked out in Hawkeye gear from head to toe including a Hawkeye jacket, onesy, sweatshirt, pants and face tattoo. Way to go Wyatt!
This is the "Shonn-o-meter" that I made to track Shonn's yardage to the single season rushing record. He needed 107 yards to break the record previously held by Tavian Banks, and got 144 yards. Shonn's picture was placed on a magnetic strip so that his progress could be tracked throughout the game. Dylan did a nice job of staying on top of this.
The certificate indicating that Wyatt won the "Keepin' It Real" award. He will keep the certificate, but the trophy will travel from year to year.
The Floyd of Rosedale is the traveling trophy for the "Keepin' It Real" award. I made this thinking it would be fun to develop a traveling trophy. Everyone seemed to be in to the idea.
Mom and Dad in their Hawkeye gear for the party. Sorry Mom, the Hawkeye slippers were not enough to win you the award.
Chris and Joni. Yes, Chris is in Hawkeye gear. When asked, Chris said that he would, "wear anything for a free beer". He was a good sport throughout the night, and might be turning the corner as far as being a Hawk fan is concerned.
Dylan Harris sporting the Hawkeye shirt. He had a tattoo on the back of his neck that said "Go Hawks". He was also in charge of the "Shonn-o-meter".
Here is Wyatt in some of his Hawkeye gear. He's upset because the Hawk game hadn't started yet. Give it time buddy.
The divas of the Black and Gold Blowout. They are Ryan, Shay, Jay, Dylanne and Micheala. They all had "Go Hawks" written on their cheeks. All of us parents think that this is a positive way to raise our kids, with Hawkeye Games!We all had a blast and maybe next year we can have more people. Don't forget to cheer on the Hawks in whatever bowl game we play in. GO HAWKEYES!
Wednesday, November 19, 2008
Elfin' Things Up!
Thanks to Jenni Benesh for starting the "elfin'" craze. It was a lot of fun and I had a lot of laughs doing it. I hope everyone follows Jenni's lead and takes time to create themselves as elves. Thank You again Jenni, I hope you all enjoy!
Sunday, November 16, 2008
It's Great To Be A Hawkeye!
How 'bout dem Hawks! Last Saturday brought the last home game of the season. It was a sad one as we had to say goodbye to those seniors that we live and die with every week. Players like Mitch King, Matt Kroul, Brandon Myers and Seth Olsen. These guys, along with the other seniors, will be missed next season. It was fun to celebrate this game because, we won and my wife and good friends got to come along to the game. This was Heather's first game this year and she picked a cold one. In my opinion, it's never too cold to watch the Hawks. We had a great time and a lot of beer. It was also the last hoorah with our tailgating regulars, Larry and Marilyn Nielsen, Kevin and Laurie Raddatz, Chris and Tiffany Nielsen, Terry and Marie Schrock, Jim and Barb Brecht, Al and Rachel Brecht, and Roger Brecht was at a few games as well. I cannot forget to mention Betty, who furnished us with her front yard and restroom facilities all season. The season is not over yet. We have some unfinished business in Minnesota and in a bowl game. Go Hawks!
The Urbana Hawkeye Club. Heather, John, Denise and me.
One more of the Urbana Hawkeye Club..
Our friends from Urbana, John and Denise Harris.
Heather and I getting ready for a Hawkeye victory.
The Urbana Hawkeye Club. Heather, John, Denise and me.
One more of the Urbana Hawkeye Club..
Our friends from Urbana, John and Denise Harris.
Heather and I getting ready for a Hawkeye victory.
Sunday, November 2, 2008
Schrock Update
Hello all! I thought I would take a few minutes to offer a quick update on everyone in this household, so here it goes...
Micheala - Micheala is doing fine. She is up and down on whether or not she likes preschool, but she goes and seems to being doing well. She dressed up as Sharpay from High School Musical for Halloween and got lots of candy. Her and the dog have a love/hate relationship; she loves the dog and the dog hates her. Although Mika has not gotten agressive towards Micheala, Mika does not like the constant smothering that Micheala often times inflicts. Her progression in regards to her surgery seems to be going as planned, although we had to cancel her last appointment due to a scheduling conflict. Micheala is showing strong personality traits that resemble mine, which absolutly drives Heather crazy. i enjoy it, but at the same time can see why Heather gets pissed at me. She is enjoying dance class and really has taken to cheerleading, and yes she cheers for the Stormin' Pointers!
Dylanne - Dylanne is going through some tough times in her life. She is starting to experience "clicks" at school and amongst her friends and is learning a tough lesson in having manners and treating people with respect. I am doing everything that I can to teach her that being nice to everyone makes it difficult for people to ignore or reject you. She is very concerned everyday with what she wears to school and what others will think of her. Since our house seems to be the "after school hangout" for all the neighborhood kids, I have started timing out all of the neighborhood kids for foul play. I sat all of the kids down one day and explained to them that this was a house in which no arguing or fighting occurs and explained to them what would happen if it did. last Thursday I had everyone in the neighborhood sitting in opposite corners of the house for arguing. They were all pissed and some wanted to go home before finishing their time outs, but I would not allow that option. So far it has worked and I've heard no complaints from the other kids parents. It's about respect for each other and not driving me fucking crazy by telling on each other every five minutes. Back to Dylanne. I am so prooud of her progress in school. She is learning to read and how to spell. She is a busy girl, being involved in dance and girl scouts.
Heather - Busy with work! She has recently found out that she has arthritus in her back and it causes her pain throughout the evening. She is still plucking away at grad school and really has to manage her time between work, school and the kids. Today, she went to Iowa City for a Veterans dinner honoring her mother and said that it was a good time, but difficult. She recently turned 31, and turned away two tickets to the Jewel concert, as her family was in town. I guess I'm not real good at getting presents, oh well. Heather likes to spend her minimal free time hanging out with one of her new friends, Denise Harris. they are two peas in a pod and enjoy riding their husbands asses. She is still involved in helping raise awareness for cancer research as it has hit too close to home too many times. She has a conference in which she is to speak in Minneapolis later next week. She is nervous as it will live on the internet. She also has another trip to Washington DC coming up soon for her work. Like I said, she is busy and I hardly get to see her.
As for me.....I guess I just do what I do. Recently, my work had to lay off two of our workers. I am not one of them, but feel their pain as it effects all of us schedule wise. I am happy to still have a job, don't get me wrong, hopefully we can get a permenant home soon so our workers can come back and we can serve the youth that need our help in a more effective manner. I'm living and dying with the Hawkeyes. I cheer and I cry. I can't explain why it effects me so much, but it does. Like I tell everyone, there is nothing better than spending Saturday afternoon with 74,000 of your friends. I really enjoy tailgating with all of my family and friends and hope that I can share this with my girls someday. The New York Giants are kicking ass, need I say more? Tonight I worked on a school project with Dylanne and stopped to realize that it seems like just yesterday I was feeding her oatmeal in her high chair. My girls are growing up fast and it just amazes me. Where has time gone?
That's us in a quick summary. I'm excited because it's almost time to go ice fishing!
Micheala - Micheala is doing fine. She is up and down on whether or not she likes preschool, but she goes and seems to being doing well. She dressed up as Sharpay from High School Musical for Halloween and got lots of candy. Her and the dog have a love/hate relationship; she loves the dog and the dog hates her. Although Mika has not gotten agressive towards Micheala, Mika does not like the constant smothering that Micheala often times inflicts. Her progression in regards to her surgery seems to be going as planned, although we had to cancel her last appointment due to a scheduling conflict. Micheala is showing strong personality traits that resemble mine, which absolutly drives Heather crazy. i enjoy it, but at the same time can see why Heather gets pissed at me. She is enjoying dance class and really has taken to cheerleading, and yes she cheers for the Stormin' Pointers!
Dylanne - Dylanne is going through some tough times in her life. She is starting to experience "clicks" at school and amongst her friends and is learning a tough lesson in having manners and treating people with respect. I am doing everything that I can to teach her that being nice to everyone makes it difficult for people to ignore or reject you. She is very concerned everyday with what she wears to school and what others will think of her. Since our house seems to be the "after school hangout" for all the neighborhood kids, I have started timing out all of the neighborhood kids for foul play. I sat all of the kids down one day and explained to them that this was a house in which no arguing or fighting occurs and explained to them what would happen if it did. last Thursday I had everyone in the neighborhood sitting in opposite corners of the house for arguing. They were all pissed and some wanted to go home before finishing their time outs, but I would not allow that option. So far it has worked and I've heard no complaints from the other kids parents. It's about respect for each other and not driving me fucking crazy by telling on each other every five minutes. Back to Dylanne. I am so prooud of her progress in school. She is learning to read and how to spell. She is a busy girl, being involved in dance and girl scouts.
Heather - Busy with work! She has recently found out that she has arthritus in her back and it causes her pain throughout the evening. She is still plucking away at grad school and really has to manage her time between work, school and the kids. Today, she went to Iowa City for a Veterans dinner honoring her mother and said that it was a good time, but difficult. She recently turned 31, and turned away two tickets to the Jewel concert, as her family was in town. I guess I'm not real good at getting presents, oh well. Heather likes to spend her minimal free time hanging out with one of her new friends, Denise Harris. they are two peas in a pod and enjoy riding their husbands asses. She is still involved in helping raise awareness for cancer research as it has hit too close to home too many times. She has a conference in which she is to speak in Minneapolis later next week. She is nervous as it will live on the internet. She also has another trip to Washington DC coming up soon for her work. Like I said, she is busy and I hardly get to see her.
As for me.....I guess I just do what I do. Recently, my work had to lay off two of our workers. I am not one of them, but feel their pain as it effects all of us schedule wise. I am happy to still have a job, don't get me wrong, hopefully we can get a permenant home soon so our workers can come back and we can serve the youth that need our help in a more effective manner. I'm living and dying with the Hawkeyes. I cheer and I cry. I can't explain why it effects me so much, but it does. Like I tell everyone, there is nothing better than spending Saturday afternoon with 74,000 of your friends. I really enjoy tailgating with all of my family and friends and hope that I can share this with my girls someday. The New York Giants are kicking ass, need I say more? Tonight I worked on a school project with Dylanne and stopped to realize that it seems like just yesterday I was feeding her oatmeal in her high chair. My girls are growing up fast and it just amazes me. Where has time gone?
That's us in a quick summary. I'm excited because it's almost time to go ice fishing!
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