Being Mom

Well again I haven't written here in forever. I suppose I'm a rather sucky blogger. :P I decided maybe it was time to update again and maybe I can convince myself to sit down and type more often.

Yes, I've been busy.. in the sense that I've had 4 kids home with nothing to do cause it's too dang hot to go outside! There are days the heat index is over 100 and it's been consistenly in the 90's or higher around here since summer started. Only time we get relief is when it rains. I know.. some of you in hotter locations may be going, "Poor baby," with a little roll of your eyes. However, if you don't have our humidity.. I don't wanna hear it! You think dry heat is no fun? Try having that heat and feeling like it's so stuffy you can't take a breath.

So yeah, none of the kids want to play outside cause it's too dang uncomfortable. Unfortunatly, that means they want me to give them things to do or they want to simply play on machines all day. Boredom and being stir crazy is the norm around here.

To make matters worse, I have 2 kids having different medical problems. :( Allie started complaining that her jaw was hurting her..to the point where eating or even playing her sax was an issue. I took her to the dentist where they told us that she needed to have her wisdom teeth removed. Our dental insurance is pushing hard for a predetermination. So I took her to the oral surgeon so that they could do an counciltation. The good thing is we really, really liked the surgeon and his staff. They were all extremely friendly. The doctor walked into the room and said, "How are you today Allie? I'm J.D." Informal and very comfortable... The bad news is she really does need all 4 removed. Her x-ray clearly showed how none of them have room to come in and the result is the pain as they try to. Now we are waiting for the insurance to give us the go ahead and hopefully that includes sedation.

Jamie however is the one that has me worried. A couple of weeks ago she complained about a headache. Of course, the first day there is no worry. You give the kid a couple Tylenol and tell her to rest... but this headache has continued. I took her into the doctors after about 3 days of consistant complaints from Jamie. From there we went to get her eyes checked and found out that while her eyesight is nearly perfect, she has a small stigmatism which is what is causing her eyes to go blurry. That doc said she shouldn't have to wear her glasses constantly. So, we go home, get her glasses the next day (I was shocked at the fast turn around) and have her start using them as perscribed. IE: watching tv, reading, that sort of thing... but this headache.. doesn't go away still. She is still complaining about the same type of pain. It starts on the left side, including her eye hurting, then as the day goes on it seems to spread. She's dizzy alot too. Tylenol barely has an effect.. Ibuprofen does about the same as the Tylenol.

So... I call the nurse and tell her what the eye doc found, who we went to, and that Jamie is still complaining about the same symptoms. About 2 hours later I get a call back that they want to try a migraine medicine on her and that they have called it in to our local CVS. We are suppose to give it a week or 2 to take effect but if she is still complaining after that... it's MRI time. It's almost been a week.. and she is still complaining. :( I'm not sure what to think about this.

Yeah... being a stay at home mom... anyone that tries to say that being a mom is easy is a fool. I'm a baker, a taxi, a tutor, a nurse, crowd control, a maid, the shoulder to cry on, the co-ordinator, the best friend, teacher, and so many more.

I wouldn't trade it for any job you offered me.

Still here

Been busy. Course I could likely say that every week. Having 4 kids means weeks are hardly ever dull or slow. Cirque was AWESOME! Absolutely awesome! Allie is going to go this weekend and I know she is going to love it. It really is too bad that the tickets are so very expensive. I know that at least Jamie would adore the show but it really costs too much to think about dragging the rest of the family to it.

Allie went to all-state last week. Number 7 in the state. I think her injury in Dec and the fact her tutor at the time disappeared really affected her chances. She made 7th pretty much with 3 weeks practice and no outside help. Pretty impressive when you think of it and if you think about it it means she may have been 1 or 2 chairs higher had she not had things go wrong. We are still proud of her and I still love to listen to her practice.

Things have been pretty quiet. The kids seem to be getting along better and other than a head cold everyone has been healthy. Lucky me, I had the worst of the cold but on the flip side I've also reached a pretty cool milestone in weightlose (at least I'm tickled about it!). It's been a few years since the number on the scale started with a 1 instead of a 2 but it does now and I'm determined to lose more and stay there. My goal... no more round me!

Been a few..

I realized that it has been a few days since I lost wrote on this thing. I suppose my mind has been busy with other things. For example, yesterday I had a wonderful class at Fort Mill Photography that last over 2 hours. The gentleman that I worked with was very friendly and very complimentary on some shots I showed him on facebook. He seemed very happy to share his knowledge of photography and I must say my nervousness about the class was quickly over and I can't wait to put into practice the ideas and techniques he shared. Photography has always been a joy for me but I had never had the camera that I could really put some time into. Now I do and I look forward to seeing what else I can get from it.

We still have not met Allie's young man. I am amused to hear that I won't have to threaten the boy with bodily harm should he hurt my daughter. It would seem her best friends have done that already. I love knowing that Ruthie and Allison love her enough to watch out for her. There may be some mothers that worry constantly while their daughters are away for any reasons but even more so when they are out on a date. I don't need to though because I know that Ruthie and Allison (my daughters from another mother!) will have her back.

Another fun thing happened just this week. Michael has been asking me to come eat with him at school so this Wed I finally did. I found it fun and amusing because my boy was surrounded by girls. Three in particualr that seem to adore him. One of the young ladies even told me they love having him in their classes because he makes it enjoyable. As soon as I left the building I had to call his father and joke with him about his son, the girl magnet. Michael likes one of the girls who unfortunatly only sees him as a friend. I tried to encourage him and remind him that he is very young still and has a good many years ahead of him to have girlfriends.

Other than all that, the most exciting news of the week is that John and I will be going to Cirque Du Soleil "Totem" tonight. Tickets for it and the gift certificate for the photography class were my presents for my birthday this year. I am very much looking forward to seeing a Cirque Do Soleil live! I've seen some on dvd and loved them. This should be a real treat!

To think about colleges...

Well.. hell week seems to be over and things are mostly back to normal with just a few additions to the routine. One day at a time is the current rule of the house. I'd love to slow down time if I could and this last few days of mail has made that desire even stronger.

Allie has received multiple letters and such from colleges saying pretty much "Hey.. look at us!" It's shocking to think that it is only a couple years from now that she will be attending college. I can't help but hope she chooses and is choosen by something close enough that we get to see her on a regular basis. She already is busy enough in high school that we only get a couple hours at most with her during the week and sometimes only that during the weekend. Slowly but surely she is growing up and growing away like all kids will.. I just hope she is never too far away or at least never too busy to keep in touch. A day without her laughter or her goofiness would be a sad day indeed.

And still on the subject of her.. she has a boyfriend now. How odd it is to think of my daughter.. my little girl.. holding some boys hand. Some boy I don't know yet. Admittedly.. her first boyfriend showed she had good taste. Brian is a sweetheart that I am glad to know through her. This new boy is also a part of the band (he plays trumpet) and a member of ROTC. She wants to invite him over to dinner so we can meet him. Fun fun!

*sighs* Time just goes way too fast..

One long week..

Yes... it is finally Sunday and it has been one looooong week. Monday, unless anything else happens, all children will be back in school and I can get back to what had been my normal routine. Get up early to get the kids out the door and snag a nap once everyone is gone. Then it's back up and Wii fit time. 40 or so minutes later and it's time to get ready to head out to run errands. Tomorrows include going to Hobby Lobby and Walmart down in Rock Hill. I'll head home with plenty of time to grab a bite to eat and maybe get some things done before Jamie gets home at 2:40pm and the homework starts.

As for this week, I'm not sure if I am ready to put into type some of it. I'm still a floored somewhat. It's hard to share the really bad things when they come up because you feel so guilty and responsible for them that you don't want your friends to know. That, and putting it into writing (or in this case typing) somehow makes it even more real than just living it. It says, "This happened in our lives," to the world instead of just to our small circle.

To say the very least, my heart is hurting alot and it's going to take some time to be able to not have these issues adding to my lack of sleep at night. I will leave the why's for another post, when I am more ready to share it. For now, I just hope that next week is better and that we as a family can start to heal the wounds this last week opened.

Friday.. thank God.

Yes.. that's right... if all stays queit I will have survived this horrid week. Tomorrow is Friday!!! My patience has been severly tested recently by squabbles and general crankiness. From the start of this week, which I'm still not ready to openly share, to the youngest with the flu and a schedule that seems to just be getting fuller and fuller, I am truly looking foward to the weekend and maybe some moments of quiet.

Even if I have to lock the entire family in their rooms!

Seriously...

I think poor John may find himself alone with the kids for at least an hour this weekend while I go upstairs and lock myself in the bathroom for a nice long, relaxing bath. Hot water, maybe a glass of wine, and a good book.

But still.. there is Friday to get through. On top of poor Jamie being home still.. I have to go get her missed schoolwork (which means I have left the house every day this week.. not a normal occurance), there is Allie staying late at school for writers club and music, and an appointment at 7pm that I wasn't planning on going to but now seems I can't stay home for. Somehow I have to fit dinner in, likely early with Allie eating leftovers. AND... Serena is aware of where we are going at 7pm and is already making comments against it. *sighs*

I tease John that I am going to purposefully have a nervous breakdown so that I can have a vacation, but to be honest.. man could I use one!

On a cheerful note.. I reconnected with two people that I have some very very fond memories of on facebook. I am tickled to be able to chat with them again and see how they are and where their lives have taken them.

*sighs*

It's 8:08pm and I'm sitting here waiting for John to get home with Jamie. I finally found a place that could see her but the appointment was at 7pm. John was late getting home, Serena had her tutoring.. so I ended up having to take Serena while John took Jamie. I'm not use to being the one not there at the doctor's with whichever kid is being looked at. I am so use to being that person that it actually worries and bothers me to just be sitting here waiting. I've never been very good at not knowing.

I know.. it may all seem silly when it is something as simple as possible strep.. but we all have our odd quirks I suppose.

Really??

It's Wed and this week continues to make my head hurt. First two days I had one child home. This morning Jamie was still complaining of a very bad sore throat and she had a light fever. Normal school policy is if they have a fever at all they want you to keep them at home. So, I sent the other three off to school and called our clinic but, as the week would have it, they have no spots at all and that seems to be the theme of the day. That our "our doctor is out with the flu." *sighs*

Now, instead of getting her in to be seen I will just play doctor mom but even that I can't just stay at home and do. Serena left a science project at home that she needs me to take to her and I need to go get some sick supplies. I swear that valentines day almost every year brings about some bad news or at least normally starts a week of sick kids or parents. I am seriously considering boycotting the whole damn week next year. Maybe that would make for a wonderfully nice and peaceful time. No flowers, no chocolates, no dinners, no saying "Happy Valentines" and maybe I'll have no emergency school calls, no fevers, no hurt limbs, no forgotten homework. Instead, maybe I will get to do my normal chores around the house and the exercising that I have been trying to to every day. Yeah.. even that has been shot this week. There just isn't anytime to work off the belly!!

Blah! Again I say BLAH!

So, wow, what a week so far and it's only freaking Tuesday! Now, I won't go into what has been going on Monday and Tuesday because it's a bit too personal for some involed to be just blurting it out to whomever decides to follow this and read it. I will say that again Valentine's day ended up being more stressful than anything. Credit where it is due though.. John did get me a singing valentine. I got one last year too but this year my father-in-law was one of the 4 of the barbershop quartet that came to the door and my mother-in-law was here as well! Amusingly I'm not sure if I was more embarrassed this year or last but it was still great to hear good music sung acapella at my door and to get a rose. :P

But.. as I was saying.. Monday and Tuesday.. wow.. just wow. And just as Tuesday couldn't get much more stressful from the above mentioned unmentionable.. the school calls at the last moment before they are loading the buses to say that Jamie is running a slight fever. Poor kid has a sore throat and a minor fever. Now it's a waiting game for the morning to see if she is worse or better. It may be off to the doctors with us tomorrow!

That's Monday out and busy.. Tuesday out and busy.. Wed may be at the doctors followed by Serena's french horn lessons which she at times likes and at times hates. Thursday is picking up Serena late because of anime club and then off to gymnastics (assuming Jamie isn't sick) and Friday night is again busy for unmentionable reasons. I'm not sure if I'm looking forward to the weekend or just dreading what else might happen. After all.. don't these things normally happen in 3's??

Ugh.. I'm going to bed before something else happens!