2009

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!!!

It doesn’t seem that long ago that we were ringing in the year 2000 with worries of the new millennium followed by the tragedy of 2001 and the fear we were recovering from as we rang in 2002. So here we are, preparing for 2009 and the inauguration of the United States first African American President and increasing fear over the state of our economy. It seems as the decade is almost to an end, the decade ’00 will be regarded as one of constant struggle. Personally I am looking forward to the next decade ’10 where I will be watching Kourtney graduate high school (Class of ’11) and begin the next phase of her life, College. I anticipate that I will have renewed sense of hope as she earns her degree and has the opportunity to make a difference in this world. Emily will be graduating in ’15 and for her I anticipate a world much different than the one we are in now. As for myself, I anticipate finishing this decade with my Associates degree in Business Administration (May ’09) and expect that by 2012 I will complete my Bachelors in Management. Nick is also planning on going back to school, so perhaps the decade ’10 will be one of continuing education for the Motterns.

Our Daughters

Both the girls are quite accomplished in school by staying on the honor roll and participating in various school activities. Kourtney is now in 10th grade. She attempted to run for class president this year, however lost by 3 votes to the president of last year’s class. She recovered fast from that disappointment and focused on her memberships to FFA (Future Farmers of America) Key Club (Volunteer Club) and Forensics (Speech/Public Speaking Club) and Planet (Save the Earth Club). She also has been busy going to physical therapy for her knee that she had surgery on this past year. That has been pretty intense for her, but she is doing well and has received clearance to begin the schools bowling league. Her physical therapy should wrap up some time in January and just in time for her to begin Softball training season. Nick and I cannot wait to see her on the field again this spring, and will not sit through a game without slightly holding our breath that we never have to go through another recovery from an injury of one our girls. Speaking of holding our breaths, Kourtney acquired her permit for driving. It is a good thing that Kourtney was blessed with such a calm, cool and collected father who has been very good at teaching her the rules of the road. Granted, Kourtney was driving stick shift at the age of 11, motoring around a Chevy Sprint on the Mottern’s property for quite a few years. From go-karts and four wheelers and “field beater” cars, she has gained a lot of experience in driving off road. Unfortunately, drivers education in school doesn’t teach them what the actual experience of driving on a paved surface is going to be like with other vehicles heading toward you. So Nick has taken on the job of “driving coach” and I have resolved myself as passenger since I am very clear on my tendency to overreact and do not want to shake Kourtney’s confidence as a driver. If you have any good tips for Kourtney, feel free to post a comment for her.

Emily is now in 6th grade. This was the year she went from Mahoning Cooper Elementary where several generations before her attended elementary school, to the Danville Area Middle School. I held my breath as she started this new school which combines 3 other elementary schools into one. Many children have a hard time making the transition, but Emily was ready. I am confident that her participation in Little League Softball made the transition much easier for her since it enabled her to get to know a lot of girls from the other elementary schools before she got to the Middle school. This was ideal for Kourtney as well, both for Middle school and High school. Emily is also focused on her religious education and is looking forward to receiving Confirmation in 2011.


The Year in Review

So, I managed to blog up until August, when Kourtney started her physical therapy and I began my Fall semester of college. This past fall was the most challenging semester yet, as I tackled Algebra again. Thank God for my dad, Bruce who tutored me through the class and helped me get a B in the class. I also thank God that my girls have MUCH better math skills than I do. I will begin 2009 tackling Statistics, big fun! Nick begins 2009 training for his certification in welding, which will make him more marketable should the economy turn around and offer more jobs. For now he starts his 16th year at Bloomsburg Carpet Industries. He has job security and the BCI has reassured it’s employees that they have not felt the effects of the slow economy as of yet…good news.

There has only been room left for the two other facets of our life, family and friends.
Mom (Becky), Dad (Bruce) and Dawn (sister) and Dave (brother-in-law) are all doing well. Dawn will begin 2009 starting school again, full time, to launch a new career in Ultrasound technology or something like that. Mom and Dad are making plans for a trip to Rome in celebration of Dad becoming Catholic. After 39 years of marriage, he finally has received the “calling” to join the Catholic church, thanks to a wonderful priest named Father Don. Mom is excited to finally have company to attend church weekly.

As for our friends, our circle of grows surrounding softball. This year, Nick decided to coach ASA softball and we became great friends with the Fritzs’. We now spend our available free time hanging out with the Drumheller and Fritz families. We all have daughters in and around the same ages which makes our get togethers a lot of fun. Nick was thrilled when Tony Fritz asked him to go on a Bear hunt this past November. Although they did not get a bear, Nick has several hours worth of stories to tell about the experience. It seems he and Tony have a tendency to create these great experiences to share with everyone, including the stories of taking their daughters out hunting as well. Yes, Emily has now found a “soul sister” in Tony’s younger daughter, Leslie. They are two peas in a pod when it comes to their shared interests.

For now, to end this, I will leave you with a quote from Ann Landers:
“ Let this coming year be better than all the others. Vow to do some of the things you've always wanted to do but couldn't find the time. Call up a forgotten friend. Drop an old grudge, and replace it with some pleasant memories. Vow not to make a promise you don't think you can keep. Walk tall, and smile more. You'll look ten years younger. Don't be afraid to say, 'I love you'. Say it again. They are the sweetest words in the world. “

To all of you who took the time to read this..know “We love you.” “ We love you.”

Mottern's Olympic Summer Luge

September begins with the girls back in school, Kourtney beginning her Sophmore year and Emily as a 6th grader in middle school. Labor day weekend lent itself to Nick and his softball buddies throwing a "family" bash. A little bashed it ended up being after the guys put together a 120 foot slip and slide for the kids (and adults) that provided hours of entertainment and was the beginning of an annual "olympic style" competition for furtherest distance slid. A summer luge if you will.

Every now and again adults have to see if they can compete with kids a third of their age. Nick was up for the challenge and did quite well, willing GOLD this year, beating out the gracefulness of Tara Fritz and Marlee Drumheller. Better luck next year girls! This accomplishment did not come without a price to pay for Nick, as he has been taking Tylenol and Advil on a schedule since Monday morning. He will tell you it was well worth it. The girls did not come away unscathed either, as each one of them proudly displayed bruises on their hip bones from landing belly first onto the slide.

Perhaps we will submit our video to YouTube!

The Edge of Exhaustion

School is in it's final week, just a few more days and I will have another semester behind me.
This semester has been the worst, I did not realize how horrible it was going to be trying to enjoy summer, work and go to school. Luckily, I have a two week break before I start Fall semester (this will be the 4 semester of 5 that I need to get my Associates degree inBusiness Administration). By fall of 2009, I am hoping to start working on my Bachelors of Management Information Systems again and if all goes well, Kourtney will be graduating high school at the same time I am graduating from BU. Woo hoo!

The girls are gearing up for school to start on August 25th and Kourtney is happy to finally be putting weight on her knee (albeit, very little right now). We expect that she will be able to dump the crutches and start physical therapy by her second week of school. She will have just enough time left in September to do the things she has been dying to do since school let out...Knoebel's here we come!!

Here are some photos of how the girls are keeping themselves busy this summer...enjoy!

Softball, Softball and ...More Softball!

Little League softball came to an end on July 18th, when Emily's team (coached by Nick) ended up losing to our biggest rival, Milton. It was a bitter sweet loss since we were hoping that we wouldn't have to travel to Minersville for sectional playoffs, which we didn't since we lost. The girls took it in stride though, and enjoyed a ride in the fire trucks to celebrate a good game and good sportsmanship. Milton needed to win, life is pretty miserable for them when they lose.

Tomorrow Nick turns his focus on ASA softball, where the Lace Bandits will play 3 games on Saturday and one on Sunday, and more if they win them all. This is one of the last few tournaments we will play in, so thankfully softball is almost over completely. This is just in time for Kourtney to start physical therapy! The running never ends....

Post Surgical

June 27th was a day that Gwen really needed her sanity checked. By sheer coincidence and timing, Kourtney and Nick both had surgery; Nick for a stapendectomy, Kourtney for ACL reconstruction and Lateral Ligament repair.
Nick's procedure required removing the unhealthy part of the inner ear and replacing the bones of hearing with artificial parts, as a means to make the ear hear again. Nick's surgery was a success! After 25 years of little or no hearing in his right ear, Nick has "stereo" again! Albeit the first several days were a little humbling for him as he suffered from bouts of dizziness and no sense of taste. Thank goodness they are resolving.
Kourtney's day started out with anxiety, the fear of the unknown, and in classic TV fashion I am sure she had visions that scarry people with very large needles would be strapping her down and torturing her. Luckily, she had the magnificent staff of the surgery center where I used to work, caring for her. Utlimately, the entire experience will not be remembered too fondly by Kourtney as she suffered through a three hour delay doped up with Versed and a nerve block in her leg, then a miserable 36 hours of sickness from anesthesia. But by Sunday night she was asking for pizza and on her way.
Today is three weeks post surgery for both, and Nick is hearing very well, his sense of taste has returned and no dizziness-A SUCCESS! Kourtney doing well, hasn't needed pain medication since day 4 after surgery and is getting around very well; she has 2 more weeks of using her crutches with no weight bearing and then begins to add weight a little at a time for 5 more weeks. This will take us to the first week of school when she will begin physical therapy for 4 months and will be finished just in time to start practicing softball in January.
She is doing remarkably on her crutches, just like my dad said she would "You'll be surprised how well she will do with those crutches-she's fifteen, young enough to adjust and overcome." He was right, she hasn't let it stop her hopping up into her "three foot off the floor bed" or from going up and down complete flights of stairs to sit in the press box and do the announcing for Emily's All-Star softball games these past two weeks. The good news is, it has only mildly effected her social life, as she has been hanging out with her buddies, Nick I. and Marlee D., a sign that all is well.

And so it begins.....

I never seem to have enough time to keep in touch with those I love so much.....perhaps this will help a little.

It is softball season, so it is a crazy time of year. I am managing to keep up with the two classes I am taking (thank God for online classes), working full time and participating in the softball experience.

June 27th Kourtney AND Nick will be having surgery. Kourtney for a torn ACL and lateral knee ligament repair and Nick for ear surgery to repair the hearing lost years ago. This just happens to be the week of my midterm exams as well. So while they are recuperating, I will be frantically studying.

Nick is busy coaching Emily's softball team, so proudly displayed here in this photo "Leighow's Subway". (Pictures of Leighow's in action-Log in using Danville and password Homerun) He is anxiously waiting to see the final standings to see if Leighow's will win the championship, earning him the spot to coach the 9-10 year old All Star Little League team, which thankfully will be played here in Danville (a lot less mileage). With any luck I will be reprieved of managing the concession stand, although I have to say that Nick has pretty much taken over this responsibility for me since manging my schoolwork and work schedule doesn't give me time for a whole lot else.

Kourtney's summer is going to be a bust, since she will be laid up for 6 weeks on crutches with no weight bearing on her knee, followed by 4 weeks of partial weight bearing and then September she starts her Sophmore year with regular trips for physical therapy. Hopefully she will be recovered enough to start her driving lessons in December. As you can tell she is quite the photographer, and supplies us with regular updated photos, albeit mostly of herself. It seems self photography is the thing to do these days, and provides a healthy dose of self esteem.

Memorial Day weekend was a rather unexpected blast thanks to Kourtney's idea to have friends over for a "camp out". She invited a few of her very best freinds, Ally, Marlee, Carly and Nick over for a backyard campfire and then slept outside in tents. The thrill for Nick and I is that we got to enjoy the company of a few of our favorite people, the Inverso's (Nick's parents), my sister Dawn, her husband Dave, my friend Jen and a few minutes with Mom and Dad. Then Sunday after Kourtney and her friends watched the original three Indiana Jones moves, we (the Motterns, Inverson's, Dave and Dawn) all met at the local "Drive-In Movie" place called Three Points Drive In Theater to watch the new Indiana Jones movie and Ironman. The whole evening was made even better due to Maria's homemade heavenly hot chocolate!

Lastly, Emily will be finishing Elementary school this year, heading for Middle school next year for 6th grade. She still looks like she is a 3rd grader, so I am hoping this summer will bring a much needed growth spurt for her so she actually looks like she belongs in 6th grade.

Last year....

2007 started ordinarily enough, the usual recovery from the holidays and planning New Years resolutions…little did we know what we were in store for. February brought the realization that the Danville Little League softball fields, where our daughters were looking forward to playing, were going to need a lot of work to recover from the late 2006 flood that wrecked havoc on the fields. Nick heard the baseball calling "Fix it, they will come", and so with most of his best friends; they decided to fix the fields in time for opening day on April 1^st. Of course you are talking about a small town and with that comes small town politics, and the fight to gather enough people, time and money to do the work. Needless to say it ended up with just a handful of Nick and his friends sweeping in with only moments to spare, with an effort of almost heroic proportion to get the fields ready for opening day.

Danville Softball has been growing each year, and Nick and I are amazed at the positive message it sends to all the girls involved. It is amazing to see how the single thread of softball can create a true sense of camaraderie, self respect, strong values and citizenship. Nick and the guys will tell you, seeing the complete joy on all the girls faces, whether they are winning or not, makes all the difference. Nick and his best friend, Jay Drumheller, are coaching their daughter's Emily and Abby on the Leighow's Subway (LS) softball team with 13 girls ages 9-12. Ironically, Nick and Jay met when Jay's oldest daughter, Marlee was chosen to play for LS. Although, we had seen the Drumhellers around town, softball brought us together. Now the Drumhellers; Becky (mom), "Papa Jay", Marlee (14) and Abby (10) and the Motterns; Nick and Kourtney (15) and Emily (10) and me, spend nearly half the year together. They are considered one of our greatest blessings in life.

Usually there is not much to tell you about Nick, however, this past year has provided him a moment in the spotlight. He is still working at Bloomsburg Carpet Industries, as a welder, fixing carpet looms, some of which are over 100 years old. These carpet looms weave intricate designs and the carpet can be seen in casinos, airports, hotels and even the White House. He is the only welder for the company, assisting in the machine shop and special projects crew in assembling new looms and fixing old looms. The company has experienced considerable growth so things are constantly changing and evolving to increase productivity. That t is his job….now, at home…..in mid-April Nick's mom became very sick, and while trying to work full time, coach softball, participate in softball meetings, and take care of the girls after school, he also was making trips to the hospital regularly trying to monitor the progress of his mother and her care. It was a long road for Nick's mother, after nearly passing away and facing the threat of dialysis, she pulled through. She spent 3 months in the hospital and another 3 months in a rehabilitation nursing home, returning home in October. Unfortunately, the relationship between his parents has become increasingly strained due to a difference in opinion about Dolly's care and her future.

Throughout the summer, Nick also became involved in another softball organization, called Amateur Softball Association (ASA). Emily had been asked to play on a local ASA team. This is quite a big deal, considering only those girls with talent are asked to play. Emily learned well all these years practicing with Kourtney's team, and her abilities are regularly recognized. Kourtney was also asked to play ASA ball for Danville's team the Lace Bandits. This was twice as exciting since Marlee Drumheller was also playing for the Lace Bandits. It was only a matter of months before Nick was approached to start a younger Lace Bandits team. And now Nick faces 2008 as the coach of Leighow's Subway (Age9-12, Danville Little League) and coach of the Lace Bandits (Age 12 and under, ASA). What this means is, Nick will be coaching DLLS through the week and attending ASA tournaments on the weekends starting in May and lasting through September. He won't mind it too much though, since he has made some of the best friends he has had since high school. Likewise, I am enjoying the sense of community that Nick and I feel, since we have known most ALL of the parents and girls on these teams for as long as we can remember, but never had the chance to get to know them as friends…once again that thread of softball ties it all together.

Now, about our precious girls….

Kourtney, now 15 years old, has become a beautiful young lady with an aura about her that shines for all to see. She has a magnetic way about her, where people are just drawn to her, wanting to get to know her and be like her. She has so many good friends that carried her into High School without an ounce of nervousness. She is confident and happy about who she is. Refuses to have a boyfriend, since she recognized early how complicated it makes things. She says "What is the point in having one boyfriend, and risk losing all my friends and doubt myself, when I can have many friends, some of who are boys that make me feel good about who I am." She is the voice of reason to all her friends, who look to her as an example of how to be happy with who you are and not define yourself based on a boy's opinion.

She loves her friends, and they love her. Again, that sense of community, having lived in the same town your whole life, has really kept her grounded and genuine. Kourtney started 9^th grade this year and now-a-days the schools are pushing the kids to figure out what they want to do once they finish high school. This helps them take additional classes in high school that will prepare them for their career path in college. Unfortunately, Kourtney is very undecided. She keeps leaning toward something medical, or medically minded, such as a Pathologist or a Child Life Specialist (this is someone who specializes in helping extremely sick children handle their experience in the hospital, and a specialty that is becoming more and more necessary). Either way, we are sure Kourtney will make us proud. She is also involved in Key Club, (Kiwanis influenced club centered around community service/volunteering) and Forensics (Speech/Debate Club), and recently joined the high school bowling team. In January, she will start practicing for High school softball, while continuing to play ASA ball through to the fall. Summer '08 will be her second year for volunteering at Geisinger Medical Center as a candy striper. In her spare time, she is also learning to play the Electric Guitar and currently is practicing singing and playing the song "After Midnight" by Patsy Cline. The more exciting part will be when Marlee backs her up with the drums. (Marlee is a proficient drummer). Kourtney is also looking forward to having her first real paying job this summer, and of course, is looking forward to Dec '08 when she will turn 16 and get her driving permit/license. Let' s just say, I try not to think about that too much…where has all the time gone.

Now…Emily, age 10 1/2. Emily is our unique child, unlike most. She is a mystery unfolding slowly. She is a quiet little peanut, just barely 80 lbs and the smallest in her 5^th grade class. "Mom, there are kindergarteners bigger than me" she says. I am pretty sure Emily started the latest fashion trend, because since kindergarten, all the girls have increased their wearing of camouflage. I don't mean trendy fashionable camouflage either, I mean boys hunting style camouflage. I explained to Emily that eventually she should consider feminizing her wardrobe a little bit, so she will fit in with the other girls, only to realize that all her friends are wearing the same things. This could be chalked up to my lack of knowledge of current fashion trends, but when I have mother's regularly stopping me saying "Are you Emily's mom? I have to tell you my daughter only wants to wear what Emily wears." It kind of makes you wonder if Emily doesn't have the same aura that Kourtney has, but in a much quieter way. Needless to say, the camouflage stays, but Emily did understand that "girl-ing" up her look, might be fun, and occasionally surprises us with wearing jewelry, perfume and occasionally pink. Emily enjoyed her first season of hunting this year, as part of Pennsylvania's Junior Hunter program. She was allowed to go out with her dad and shoot a deer, unfortunately, the weather was much too rainy and cold and she lasted about an hour. She is looking forward to Spring Gobbler season in May 2008 to shoot a turkey, and hopefully in much milder weather. Yes, she is an outdoors sportsman (sports-women). She loves target shooting, and competes regularly with Daddy on the shooting range Nick made on our property. She is also a rather experienced butcher (yes, butcher) and has mastered the art of skinning out and gutting her dad's and his friends deer. She spends any time she can with the guys in the backyard butcher shop helping make deer bologna and jerky, and then in February enjoys helping to butcher her Pappy's home raised pigs. I continue to pray that this knowledge serves a purpose someday and that perhaps she stays with her interest in culinary arts, as she states often she wants to be a chef someday. (This is an example of the mysteriousness of this child.)

She also recently decided to join Band at school and consistently practices her drum and bells lessons, preparing for her future on the High Schools Marching Band. Danville prides itself on its 140 member marching band, one of the biggest in Northeastern PA. Emily looks forward to marching in the band with all her friends, including Abby Drumheller. Emily also recently joined the local youth bowling league and regularly revels in beating her sister's average. (Please imagine Emily's devious little smile. J) Emily also will be furthering her talent as a softball pitcher for Leighow's Subway, and of course Dad is anxious to be the coach of the "star" pitcher.

As for me, I am still working at Geisinger Medical Center, in the Ears, Nose and Throat department, otherwise known as Otolaryngology (Oto-lar-in-gol-ogy). I provide the secretarial support to two Facial Plastic Surgeons in the department and one Otologist (ear doctor). My goal is to advance my career within Geisinger's Cosmetic Program and eventual Cosmetic center. This is Geisinger's newest endeavor to reach out to the increasing market of plastic/cosmetic surgery. This will probably take some time, and hopefully this time next year, I will be able to tell you more. For now, I enjoy supporting my doctors in the clinic. I work with a great group of people who are encouraging and fun to be around. This is a good thing since I cannot afford to bring work home with me (mentally that is). When I get home at night, I must devote that time to the two college classes I am taking. I recently finished the fall semester, two classes taken through Penn State World Campus Online Classroom and begin 2008 with two more classes.

It is pretty challenging to find time to participate in these classes, work full time, and manage the house. My hope is to complete my Associates in Business Administration in Dec 2008, and then transfer my credits back to Bloomsburg University where I will continue to work on my bachelors of business.

Is it any wonder why I tell my kids adamantly that they must complete a minimum of 6 years of secondary education after high school, NO MATTER WHAT? My biggest regret is not having done this sooner. None the less, I keep moving forward, seeing the ultimate goal of utilizing my brain for something other than catering to eccentric doctors. Truly the top priority in furthering my career is to allow enough expendable income to make another trip to Walt Disney World. My mom, Becky, treated us in 2006 to a week in WDW, and it created a long list of memorable moments that keep us starry eyed and ready to go back. Call me a sucker, but it truly is the "Most Magical Place on Earth", made only better by sharing with the whole family; Mom, Dad, Dawn, Dave, my girls, Nick and I. The only way it could have been better would have been to have my Grandma and Grandpa there with us, although we swear they were with us in spirit since we experienced many things reflective of them. Needless to say when someone asks me "Gwen, you've just spend 8 years tirelessly pursuing your bachelor's degree, what will you do now?"…you know the answer!!

Along with working full time, and taking classes, I also am looking forward to the upcoming softball season where I will be responsible for managing the Little League Softball concession stand. Organizing, ordering and staffing the stand to raise money for the girl's uniforms, and field maintenance. Luckily, Becky Drumheller is my right hand woman with this, and I could not handle it without her. Likewise, I rely a lot on Nick and the girls to help out. Since Nick is home from work by 3.30pm, he takes the responsibility to cook dinner and help the girls stay on task for chores and homework. I get home at 5.30pm, eat dinner and start school work, while Nick runs the girls to their various activities. In late spring and through out summer, dinner usually consists of concession stand pizza, luckily it comes cheap.

As you may have noticed, it is a world wind of activity here, factoring in the time to spend with my family, Mom, Dad, Dawn and Dave, whose importance in all of our lives is beyond value. We are managing to keep our heads above it all and have fun in the process. I keep trying to imagine what life is going to be like when Kourtney leaves for college in 3 ½ years and Emily is independent and active in high school, not to mention, what will our lives be when the girls leave the nest? Hopefully, God will bless us with impeccable timing and I will be invovled in an exciting career and Nick will be in school pursuing his education for an eventual change in career. In the infamous words of Walt Disney himself, "Keep moving forward", and we continue to do so.