update from molly ryan:

hello family. once i made a book for my mom that was about all the things she taught me to love. i feel like i should do the same for the mund women. my desk is covered with photos of the cabin. i have a post-it not with the dates "June 29-July 8th" written on it just to the right of my computer screen. i am dating a boy who cooks food family style and i need peoplelovepeoplelove until I need quiet time to think and listen. everyday i realize more and more what a product of you i am. here are a few images of things that i love today, that you might too:

last week a friend of mine asked me if she could come visit me at the cabin this summer (she lives in Wisconsin and I have not seen her in a year), I responded "YES YES YES, but, before you sign in blood I must warn you: the cabin is nothing fancy and always a bit quirky...so how do I explain this....my love of crafts and family dinners? 100% product of the cabin. My free spirit and head out the window on nighttime drives? 100% product of the cabin. My inability to wash dishes in a timely manor? 100% a product of the cabin. See what I am trying to say? 20 people in a 4 bedroom tiny tiny cabin...it can get crazy during those weeks in July. When noone is there it is the most secluded, serene place I have ever been, which I love, but in July it is CRAZY-AWESOME-WONDERFUL-SILLY-PACKED-OHMYGODIHATEYOU-SIXGROWNWOMENYELLING-LOVELOVELOVE, which I also love. Imagine 6 or so more of me + 5 college boys + 6 or so small children....:)"

Love.

Our family is...

Loud, yes.  Close, yes.  Complicated, yes.  And interesting, and talented, and intelligent and brave and adventurous.

If I was on the outside looking in, I would wonder how this group got it all done.  I would wonder how we learned it all.  I would wonder what would happen next, or what adventure I would be dragged to next.

Favorite memories lately:

Molly as a tour guide in NYC
All of us (Ryans, Mulloneys, Grahams, Ruths, and Shanika!) walking in the woods in Galena
Picking up Pete and Jessica at the train station in Cleveland at 3:30 AM on December 31, 2011.

What's next?

Loud

Our family is loud. I really like that it is loud, because it makes me appreciate the quiet when it comes. I & Mike were fortunate to be able to visit most of the Munds/Ryans/Grahams/Mulloneys for Turkey Day. It was lovely and reminded me of the lake...minus the mosquitoes. This only adds to my recent yearning to be close to family.

Catching up
I have a temporary teaching position (that I am avoiding by writing this post) at a local college in Western NY. I like it. I wish I could get more completed on other stuff, but I have this experience that should help me. At least I keep telling myself that. Next year, I'll move back to Buffalo to finish the PhD, hopefully in 1-2 years, with lots of effort, less sleep and tons of caffeine.

I hope everyone is well and preparing for the holidays in their own way.

Dawn

Mom (Aunt Ardyse) again

The last update on Mom (Ardyse) was in April.  At that time, we thought we were going to be able to get her in for knee replacement this fall.  Well...things have changed.  She has had two hospital stays recently.  Prior to this, Mom has not been in the hospital since I was in grade school and she had her gall bladder removed.

It seems that she has terrible circulation in her legs, complicated by swelling.  This makes her at a high risk of infection should her skin be compromised, which it was - twice.  She spent a total of 7 days in the hospital (2 stays) with IV antibiotics.  The outcome is that she might not ever be able to have knee surgery, while she will always have to where a compression sleeve on her legs.

Mom is bummed on a few levels, as are we.

As always, keep her in your prayers.  We keep you in our prayers as well.  God bless!

Mom/Aunt Ardie

So...Mom's knees are finally finished.  About three weeks ago her really, really bad knee stopped her in her tracks.  She was moved into action and has started to discuss knee replacement with an orthopedic surgeon.  If anyone has any words of advice for Jean, Sue, Stacie or me, please feel free to jump into the conversation at any time!

Other than that, the Ryans are about to take a trip to Sedona, AZ.  Looking forward to some sunshine, warmth, healthy air and gorgeous vistas! Whew...what a winter!

The scoop from here

Here's what's happenin' in my part of the neighborhood...

Molly is in India learning all about yoga, anatomy, the connection between body and big S, little s spirit, and the ins-and-outs of building a yoga business.

I'm gearing up for grades to go out next week.

Pete is playing outdoor soccer on our very first travel team...after all these years!

Jamie's busy as usual.

How are Uncles Gary and Jim?

For that matter, what's up and interesting with the rest of the family?  Anybody read anything interesting lately?  Anybody got any great suggestions for eateries in Sedona, AZ?  Anyone want to get together this summer for a dip in the lake?

Let me know!

PS  I love Mary's name!  You got it all goin' on, girl!

Hello Mundses,



I appreciate your regular invitations to blog. Just so you know... I'm not much into it.



I'm mostly an introverted person who likes to rant and rave to myself (and others within hearing distance) about politics, the state of the economy, why our society is so lost / immoral, and most of all that I will NEVER catch up with all my good intentions in life.



So, I wouldn't be much fun to read anyhow.



I welcome your messages to my real email (which Liz has) - if you really want to get ahold of me. I used an old Google account to log in - the email at aamodtcompanies is no longer functioning.



Everyday details - though significant to us individually - are too much info for me to track, except for my nearest-dearest loved ones. (e.g. my wife Sonya and my son Randy.)



I mean, does it really matter to the world if I went out this AM and cut a trailer load of hickory and ironwood to stoke our woodstove? Or that I had venison burritos for lunch? I think not.

Today I am assisting Randy in applying for financial aid at the couple colleges he is focusing on (he's a HS senior). Now there's enough info exchange, details and deadlines to keep a person busy, forever...

Maybe after he is moved away from home, and working on his PhD in aeronautical engineering, I'll go out and get myself a "real job".

So if it's all the same to you, I probably won't be a regular on the Munds Only blog, fine idea though it is (for extraverts at least).

I'll write again in a year or so! Wah-wha-wha... have a nice day!

John