http://www.sim-outhouse.com/sohforums/blog.php?46269-TomSteber Sim-Outhouse is a website in support of Flight Simulator 2004, Flight Simulator 2002, Combat Flight Simulator 3, Combat Flight Simulator 2, Combat Flight Simulator, Prepar3D, IL-2 Sturmovik, Forgotten Battles and Pacific Fighters en Sun, 26 May 2013 08:26:01 GMT vBulletin 60 http://www.sim-outhouse.com/sohforums/images/misc/rss.jpg http://www.sim-outhouse.com/sohforums/blog.php?46269-TomSteber http://www.sim-outhouse.com/sohforums/entry.php?49-Day-1-of-From-Here-On Tue, 11 Jan 2011 20:38:39 GMT The funeral mass was really something. 26 priests and deacons. 2 Bishops and a lot of people.

From all the people that turned out for the visitation/wake over two days and all the people that came to the funeral, it appears that Mom was loved and admired by many.

It was very cold at the cemetery. It was hard to watch the casket being lowered and the vault top put on. Although I know that Mom isn't in there. Only her earthly body. Still the thing that I couldn't help but look at was the plant roots that had been cut through to put in the vault.
There just seemed to be this overwhelming feeling of reality seeing them.

I really couldn't believe the amount of people that came to the cemetery too! I mean there was a line of cars that must have gone on for a block and a half!

After the lunch we drove back home and after my step-daughter and her husband left for Milwaukee, I fell asleep. And I mean I fell asleep! From the time I fell asleep in the easy chair to after my wife sent me to bed to the time I woke up this morning, 16+ hours had gone by!

Now today I feel really rested, but I'm just not sure what I should be doing or how I should feel. I guess just keep going putting one foot in front of the other. Back to work tomorrow.
I'm really going to miss my Mom. And it really feels weird not having either parent anymore.
Thank God for family and friends. ]]> TomSteber http://www.sim-outhouse.com/sohforums/entry.php?49-Day-1-of-From-Here-On http://www.sim-outhouse.com/sohforums/entry.php?48-Hard-Day-Part-2 Mon, 10 Jan 2011 12:46:38 GMT Well, I got through yesterday OK. The drive up there was one of the worst parts.
Felt like I had a 20 pound weight on my chest. Hard to breath, felt nauseous. Kind of a panic attack all most. Things felt better when I saw my brothers.
Lots of people came in spite of the Packer game going on. Even childhood friends came.
Lots of reminiscing. All the picture boards helped that along. My brother did a nice prayer service part at the end. My oldest brother is Monsignor Michael. Still feels weird calling him that. He was Fr. Mike for 24 years. He's con-celebrating the funeral mass today. And doing the homily. There will be all the priests and deacons from the diocese there (that can attend) and the Bishop too. It was the same when Dad died. It's because of Mike being a priest.

I really couldn't believe no one came and told me who one the game last night. We got home around 9:30 and got out some snacks and watched the game. I had to remember that it was 11:00-11:30 at night and not to yell! Yeah Pack! On to Atlanta.

We'll be leaving in about an hour and a half. I'm fully dressed and ready to go. I think I'm most nervous about when this day is over. Because then everything is over. It'll be back to "normal" life. At least I took Tuesday off to.

I know life will never be the same. But, I can go forward knowing that my Mom knew just how much I loved her. And she knew that I was (am) happy.

Miss you Mom ]]> TomSteber http://www.sim-outhouse.com/sohforums/entry.php?48-Hard-Day-Part-2 http://www.sim-outhouse.com/sohforums/entry.php?47-One-hard-day-ahead Sun, 09 Jan 2011 18:40:22 GMT Attachment 27685Just feel like writing. In a couple hours I have to leave for my Mom's wake service.
The funeral is tomorrow. Had to go out and buy a new suit because I couldn't fit in the one I had for my step-daughter's wedding. God that was only 3+ years ago. Not good.
Oh well, thin suit... fat suit. One for any occasion.
I always new this day would come. And I felt it was coming soon. Just didn't expect last Tuesday night. Thank God I was there.
I keep telling myself that she went very peacefully. This was the fourth person I've witnessed go and it was the most peaceful. I just can't believe it really happened.
As my wife says lovingly, "We're both orphans now".
If anybody reads this it'll probably sound pretty scattered and rambling. Too bad. My thoughts, mt fears, my sorrows.
I wish I didn't have to do this. Watching her die and seeing her body after was hard enough.
But this will be an open casket service this evening. Did I mention that I feel guilty because I wish I could watch the Packers in the playoffs today? I also feel guilty because I'm DVRing it. Of course I'm sure someone will let us know the outcome before we head back home this evening. Service is over at 8pm. Oh well, if they lose and we know it, that just means we can save ourselves from the agony of watching it.
My hands feel shaky. Feel like someone keeps punching me in the gut. Can't wait for this to be over with. But then when it is (tomorrow), there will be nothing left to do but mourn.
Thank God my wife's boss came over the other day and brought us a complete dinner.
Chicken Lorraine. Very tasty. Of course I don't much feel like eating, but I know I have to.
Don't want to get run down. After all, I do have to go back to work next Wednesday. I'm sure that'll be a joy. Well, maybe it will be good to get back into some kind of routine.
Well, I should probably go put gas in the car so it's ready to go. At least it's a beautiful sunny day today and it sounds like it will be tomorrow too.
Just keep praying for strength to get through this. I know I will. We all end up going through this at some point in our lives. Quite honestly though, I'm tired of it! This is the third death of a parent in four years. First both of my wifes parents two years apart. Now my Mom. Dad died in 2000. I still have my older brothers (3), unfortunately one of them is probably headed in this direction soon too.
But for now, we'll celebrate Mom's life and remember the fun we all had together.
Tomorrow is another day. All I have to do is get through today.
One foot in front of the other.
I wish I could say I feel better after writing, maybe a little, but not much.
In closing, I'm including a picture of Mom at our place this past Thanksgiving. She just thought it was the coolest thing that one of our cats wanted to hop a ride on her walker.
I blew it up to an 8x10 and put it on one of the many picture boards for today.
Love you Mom!
Your little baby boy ]]> TomSteber http://www.sim-outhouse.com/sohforums/entry.php?47-One-hard-day-ahead http://www.sim-outhouse.com/sohforums/entry.php?28-Pictures-of-the-Fair-Queen Sat, 28 Aug 2010 02:13:12 GMT I finally uploaded some pictures of the "goods".

Attachment 16983Attachment 16984 ]]> TomSteber http://www.sim-outhouse.com/sohforums/entry.php?28-Pictures-of-the-Fair-Queen http://www.sim-outhouse.com/sohforums/entry.php?25-County-Fair-Update Tue, 24 Aug 2010 14:27:45 GMT Hi all,
Some of you my have read in my other blog posts that my wife was entering her baked goods in this year's Brown County Fair (Green Bay, WI). In the past, she has won the Blue Ribbon for her Apple Pie and 3rd place for her Chocolate Chip cookies.

This year she entered five things:

Apple Pie
Pumpkin Pie
Chocolate Brownie Cheese Cake (in the new Dairy Category)
Chocolate Chip Cookies
Sugar Cookies

She took home FOUR RIBBONS!

The results were as follows,

Apple Pie : Blue Ribbon

Pumpkin Pie : 3rd Place Ribbon

Chocolate Brownie Cheese Cake : 2nd Place Ribbon

Chocolate Chip Cookies : Didn't place this year. :( Probably the biggest competition.

Sugar Cookies : 2nd Place Ribbon

It was a proud moment for her and a warm feeling in my stomach for days to come! :)
She's already talking about next year's enteries. ]]> TomSteber http://www.sim-outhouse.com/sohforums/entry.php?25-County-Fair-Update