As my last post indicated, I went to Chicago on July 18th to help Danielle out with the kiddos while she did the final preparations and actual performance of Musicology's rendition of Sussical the Musical. I very much enjoyed taking care of my 2 year old grandson, Brian, and on some days, Sophie. Some days I would drive her to ice skating and then take her to Sussical practice. Other days it was just Brian and I hangin' out together; I found out quickly that a. he can make a drum out of must ANYTHING, b. he loves his "grub", but gum is something he REALLY wants and trys to convince one that he DOES actually chew it instead of swallowing it!, and c. his favorite topic right now is the moon.....he is determined to see the moon at all times of day and is NOT a happy camper to find out you can only see it at night time. He is the happiest little guy and Grandma has fallen hopelessly in love with his little smile, arms outstretched for me, and the sound of him calling for "Dooty". Yes, he calls me Dooty, none of us can figure it out unless it comes from me singing "do wah diddy, diddy dum diddy do" to him on a regular basis! What can I say, I am vocally limited. Sophie of course had to have her costume completed and LOVED the feathers which were added to her "Sour Kangaroo" costume. As Danielle and I dedicated several days to finishing the costumes (guess who was doing the sewing?!?) David arrived on Friday the 21st to help out with the kiddos. It was during that week that my son-in-law, Ozzie received information regarding a job he had applied for in Turkey managing a manufacturing plant. He met with the son of the owner of the plant who was in Chicago, and he confirmed that Ozzie did indeed have the job. This news greeted David when he arrived in Chicago; let us just say that he was NOT a happy camper. Ozzie and Danielle had discussed, extensively, the possibilities this job offered. They decided if the offer was monetarily a "step up" they would probably agreed to the position and make the move to Turkey.......while I couldn't say this was a shock to us, it was rather emotionally challenging to say the very least. On Monday, the 24th, Ozzie agreed to the contract, and the decision was made for them to move.......let me tell you things certainly picked up "speed" following that decision. Danielle made the announcement to her Sussical students during the last performance on the 30th, completed the evening in tears, and started packing the next day. Their departure date was set for August 24th so they had just a little over three weeks to get their household packed and arrangements made for the furniture to be shipped to Turkey via ocean transport. That first week of August they packed, had a yard sale, and began the process of closing their U.S. accounts. Danielle wanted to spend two weeks at home here in MO before leaving for Turkey, so she really had to push herself to get everything accomplished in a week and a half. Audra and Kylee went up for several days to help her pack and that was quite helpful.
On August 8th Danielle and the little "munchies" arrived here in Fredericktown and did stay one day shy of two weeks. It was just a lovely, lovely, time for all of us. Sophie spent the night with her cousins, my three children and their spouses got to spend some special time together, and David and I got to spoil the two youngest of our grandchildren as much as we wanted! It was great fun. On Tuesday the 21st of August Ozzie and Danielle left to go back to Chicago to clean out the house, say their goodbyes to their closest friends up there, and finish their packing. David and I left Fredericktown after my classes on the 23th to take them to the airport on Friday the 24th. We spent Thursday evening finishing up with some packing, and Friday loading the truck full of stuff we were taking to Fredericktown. Friday night was the "big night". We ate dinner at the airport after checking in eight, yes that's EIGHT large suitcases, a car seat, and a electrical converter! We looked like the Culhanes from Hee Haw all lined up pulling luggage in the international wing of O'hare Airport! Ha. Time quickly came for departure.......we all did remarkably well, no hysterical emotions or anything. I think David and I were still in shock! So, my youngest "child" and two smallest grandchildren are now in Turkey and plan to be there indefinitely. However, before they left my son-in-law took me aside and said, "Mom, you know that if this doesn't work out, if Danielle or the kids are not happy, we will be back. They are MY family and I would NEVER do anything that made them unhappy or keep them somewhere they did not want to be; you have my promise about that. If it doesn't work out, when we come back, I will look for a position in St. Louis, not Chicago, so that you and Dad can be closer and WE can be closer to family." Well, what can I say? I have to trust my son-in-law, who has never done anything to make me distrust him, he is very respectful to both David and I and says we are his family just like his parents are Danielle's family. Ya gotta love that.
The one thing Danielle wanted desperately to take was her dog, Shelby. She was afraid, though, that Shelby would not be able to make the 13 hour flight in a kennel in the luggage section of the plane, then have to stay in Ozzie's parents apartment until they got their own place. So, as I'm sure you've guessed we are now the proud "grandparents" to a golden retriever! Dumb dog! Ha. Shelby is a good dog, but let's face it, she had HAIR, and LOTS of it!!! We are constantly vaccuming.......and now, heaven forbid, she has managed to get some fleas! Egad. They are not infested or anything, but if I see 1 crawling on her I'm freaking out. Damn things. The main problem, in reality, is that it is causing her to itch something fierce. The vet says she's probably allergic to the bites and that she's breaking out in hot spots. Well, no duh. I mean really, do you know what it sounds like when a dog's leg is thumping the floor repeatedly while trying to scratch a certain itch?!? VERY annoying. Well, I have the thing (dog) on 62 mg of Benadryl so we can sleep at night; her included. I WILL survive this....I think!
Oh yes, in the last week of all these goings on my classes at Mineral Area College began! I'm sure my students think I am even more scatterbrained than they normally do.....let's just say several of my Tuesday's and Thursday's have felt like Mondays. But, thankfully, I try to blame most of it on senility and since they think I'm old as dirt anyway, this works fairly well. Actually, I have a wonderful group this semester, lots of teenagers, and am looking forward to indoctrinating them in the "ways of the world" according to Sue Hanner. Ha.
So, we have been trying to make the adjustment to knowing out daughter and her family are living "across the pond" so to speak and we will only be seeing them a couple of times a year. Ozzie is sending us tickets for our first journey to Turkey this December following Christmas. I am getting somewhat excited as things in Turkey are going VERY WELL for all of them. David, well, actually, David is not allowed to tell me how he REALLY feels about this anymore. (ha) Excitement about the trip for him? not so much. But he and I are both doing fairly well and lean on each other to bolster or spirits when we get down. Our children here, Audra and Brian, and their families are VERY helpful. My little Kylee and Michael and Kirsten and Christopher fill us with joy and make our lives interesting and full. They were all here last night to celebrate my getting a new phone (that's our excuse anyway) and playing with it. Audra and Kyle got it for me so I can have "face chats" with Danielle. It's called a "Note" and has quite a nice large android screen. I'm still not used to it yet, but I LOVE the size of the font and the graphics; so bright.
That pretty much brings everyone up to day on the comings and goings of the nutty Hanner Family. While we may be a "little left of center" we are so glad you all are our friends and family and we hope that life is as good for you as it is for us. Thanks to wonderous technology, I am still connected to my "baby dolls" in Turkey and they are getting to know their Turkish grandparents much better. They are by the way, WONDERFUL, WARM, LOVING people and my daughter is so fortunate to have them. I can't begrudge them their time to establish a relationship with their grandchildren, just as I have been able to do. They are my "in-laws" too.
Oh, on a local note, many of you know my brother Michael.......he has (finally) decided to admit that perhaps his leg/knee is not doing very well at all and perhaps he should do something about it.....Doctor says he will be having surgery on Oct. 2 to replace the knee. So keep him in your prayers with special emphasis on Carol Lee who will be LIVING with him and nursing his back to health.
Have a wonderful weekend all! And remember, Life IS good; sometimes we just have to look a bit for the blessings, but certainly they are there.
Oh, oh, updated news......Danielle and Ozzie now have an apartment of their own in Bursa, Sophie has a new, beautiful private school to go to (English speaking), Brian can do there too, for day care/pre-school, and guess what?, Danielle begins teaching there on Monday!!!!! Can you believe it? I can't wait to see a picture of them all going to the school, are you ready for this, they are riding the SCHOOL BUS, each day, even Danielle. Soooooo hilarious to think of her on the school bus. Should be a hoot. Keep them in your prayers as they begin this new "journey" in their lives.
Grandpa and Brian off to the garden.
Sophie in Kylee's zookeeper outfit from when she was little and we went to the San Diego Zoo.
Sophie at a restaurant in the mountains above Bursa, Turkey
Ozzie and Danielle's apartment building in downtown Bursa.
Sophie's new school where she, Brian, and Danielle will go each day.
