I am a 38yo wife, mother, friend & sister. I have been married for 17 years, and I have two children: Music (formerly Karate Kid) my 14yo son, and Drama Queen, my 12yo daughter.
I listed 6 things yesterday that make me happy. Those popped right into my head. You know what's terrible? I'm having to think a little harder to come up with 6 other ones to make the official Thursday Thirteen. Yes, I know it is now Friday, but I figured I better be able to come up with at least 13 things that make me happy. Good grief! Just call me Eeyore if I can't.
Here goes (drumroll, please):
#7: Staying up late. I am a night owl and LOVE to stay up late--preferably by myself. That's about the only time it is truly quiet around here.
#8: My sister. I prayed for years for a sister before she was born. We rarely go a day without talking to each other. I tend to be on the serious side, so I love that she makes me laugh so hard and so often like no one else can. It is so much fun being with her.
#9: Rivers/Streams. I could sit for hours by a running river, preferably one in the mountains. Water is very soothing to me.
#10: Mountains. I LOVE the mountains. Since I live in Oklahoma, my opportunities to see them are few and far between, limited to vacations. I know this will sound corny, but for lack of a better word, my heart swells when I see them. It's like I am so overcome by the beauty that my insides are about to burst out.
#11: Big Band music.
#12: Thunderstorms with lots of thunder and lightning.
#13: Hearing a baby laugh a belly laugh. How can you help but laugh along? It brings tears to my eyes most of the time because it is the most precious sound. My niece is at the perfect stage for this right now.
Oh, look! I'm not Eeyore. Of course, I'm not Tigger either. How about I be Pooh? My figure pretty much matches his anyway. *grin*
Posted @
7:13 AM ~
2 comments
I normally don't do the list things, like Way Back Wednesday or Far Out Friday, but I was reading one of my favorite blogs, The Pink Diary, and really enjoyed her Thursday Thirteen topic of "Thirteen Things that Make Me Happy." Since I tend to be a glass-half-empty person, I like the idea of thinking about things that make me happy.
1. Propped up in bed with my children on either side of me, reading to them. When I pictured motherhood, that's one I always dreamed about.
2. Sunday afternoon naps. Because of the nature of my dad's job (pastor) and my mom's involvement (church pianist), Sundays were always busy. Naps were cherished time in our household. Although I didn't take naps after first grade, I quickly adopted them again in high school and continue to this day.
3. Getting lost in a good book. 'Nuff said.
4. Camping. Once again a product of my childhood. Camping is one thing that really helps me slow down and relax.
5. Lying in the hammock. Great memories of time spent at my grandparents' house.
6. Playing games with my family.
On one unhappy note, if you pray, please pray for my brother. He was diagnosed with diabetes 12 years ago. He's been having problems with his eyes hemorraging, and just got news that the surgery he just had last month didn't work. He's now facing another surgery on July 13th. In all actuality, he will be blind, it's just a matter of how long they can hold it off. The part that really breaks my heart? He's only 32.
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2:02 PM ~
1 comments
Today was Charlie Gibson's last day on Good Morning, America. I started watching GMA when I was in 5th grade, the same age at Karate Kid. He loves to watch it now too. I took a short hiatus to watch the Today Show for awhile but went back to my beloved GMA. Charlie has been there for 19 years--half of my lifetime! He reminds me so much of my dad that I loved watching him.
I cried like a baby during the end of the show this morning (and I'm crying again typing this). I felt like I had lost a very good friend. I know, I know. I can still watch him on World News Tonight, but his true personality won't shine through like it has every morning. There's no room for laughing and silliness on the evening news.
Good grief! PMS, much? Check back later and maybe I'll share with you commercials that make me sob.
Posted @
8:07 AM ~
1 comments
We hardly ever go to the theater to see a movie because it just costs so stinkin' much. We prefer to wait until it comes out on video, although it seems like we hardly ever have time to watch those either. A guy that works with The Hubster got enough people together that he rented out an entire room of the movie theater to see Pirates of the Caribbean 2 when it comes out. I promised Karate Kid that we would go see it when it came out, so we get to go opening night with the above-mentioned co-worker.
For everyone but my sister, how much does it cost to buy an adult ticket to the movie where you live? I'm just wondering where we fall in the grand scheme of things.
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11:06 AM ~
2 comments
I've got the blues today. PMS always does that to me. That's probably more than you wanted to know, but I could go into oh, so much more. Like the time--just kidding I wouldn't subject you to that.
Making my life even more fun, I have an infant/child CPR and First Aid class to go to tonight and tomorrow night.* I have to renew every year or every other year, depending on how long the certificate is good. I dread going to this class every time. As you may have read on some of my earlier posts, I am very shy in groups. One-on-one, not too bad, but the group thing just kills me. Not only do I have to be around lots of people I don't know, I have to perform in front of them.
I have never, ever liked being the center of attention. I remember crying on stage as a young child because my church children's choir was singing. Instead of singing, I cried and rubbed my eyes. My mom was the director, and my dad was the music director for the church. They must have been so proud.
Look in my closet and you'll find mostly tan and navy blue. I don't want to stand out or draw attention to myself. I like to walk into a room and fade into the woodwork. Blending in, that's key for me.
My sister and I are alike in many ways and total opposites in others. I hate being late ('cause that attracts attention, dontcha know), but I never want to be more than 5 minutes early. Any earlier than that and I am forced to try to come up with conversation with those around me that consists of more than "How are you?" or "Where are you from?". My sis, on the other hand, never likes to be anywhere less than 15 minutes early. I would sit in the car if I was ever that early! Since I've had children, it hasn't ever really been a problem for me to get anywhere early.
So I guess I'll just have to buck up and deal with the situation--or have a nice little drink or two before I go.
*For those of you new to my site, I have a licensed in-home child care.
Posted @
1:28 PM ~
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Hello, all! It's a good thing that we camped so close to home. My friend and I came back into town to get all the things we forgot. "MoOOoom, you brought the new shorts and they're too big. We don't have any pins to pin them with , either." Guess who that was. Go on, guess. I dare ya.
Since the same munchkin that whined the above sentence ended up with a tick last night and I have at least 3 chigger bites, I definitely had to come back for the bug spray. And what was I thinking going to the lake with no sunscreen? I'm the one that burns in 10 minutes. There's no way I could be out on the boat all day with no sunscreen. Not if I didn't want to end up in the hospital anyway.
I'm waiting for my friend to come back and pick me up and continue our adventure in the wilds. More when I return.
Posted @
10:27 AM ~
1 comments
Warning: This post is dry and boring. Reading said post may cause drowsiness and the urge to take a nap. Until you know how this post will affect you, please do not drive or operate heavy machinery immediately after reading.
Today's going to be an interesting day. We are going camping this weekend (woo hoo!). We're going very close by because we have to drive back to teach Sunday School and then head back out to the lake when we're done.
That's all well and good. But here's the fun part (keep in mind that we are leaving tonight for our camping trip) . Karate Kid called me at 7:15 this morning from his friend's house where both of the kiddos spent the night last night. I was a little concerned when he called that early because he's been staying up late and then sleeping late.
KK: Mom? It's me. Me: Why are you up at 7:15? KK: Oh, we never went to sleep last night! We stayed up a-l-l night! Me: (speechless for a moment because I can just imagine the kind of day we're going to have with him) Did your sister stay up all night too? KK: No, she fell asleep after the movie. Me: Good! KK: Can we come down and jump on the trampoline to burn off some of our energy?
How do they do it? If I stayed up all night, there's no way I could even begin to think about jumping on the trampoline! He's going to looooove me when he finds out I'm going to make him sleep for awhile this afternoon.
In other news, Drama Queen's mysterious stomach aches have reappeared. They were an every day occurrence when school started, so I assumed they were stress/nerve-related. But it's the middle of summer. What's up with that? I don't know whether to take her to the doctor or just wait it out. She's also going through a separation-anxiety thing again. I'm really surprised she ended up spending the night with her friend last night. She was acting scared and nervous, but she went down there to play while we ran to the store. By the time we got back, she must have calmed down because she ran home to get her stuff.
One more piece of boring trivia for you. Last night at the store I overheard a lady asking if they had the new shower sprayer/cleaner thingy. The employee had no clue and told her no, but I was behind the employee nodding my head yes and mouthing, "Yes, they do." As soon as the employee walked off, she came over and I told her where they were. End of story. Actually, not quite.
Stranger: Is your name Tammy? Me: No. (for some reason I felt compelled to tell her my name). My name's Tonya Stranger: (acting a little bit excited) What high school did you go to? Me: (insert name of town here) Stranger: Me too! What year did you graduate? Me: '89. Stranger: Me too! My name is highschoolfriendwhowillremainnameless.
OMG! I never, ever in a million years would have recognized her. We're both heavier than we were then, and she was blond in high school, dark-headed now. Apparently I still look a little bit like my old, skinnier self because she recognized me. There's hope in that, at least.
So guess what I dreamed about last night? High school graduation and my ex-boyfriend. What a surprise.
Now that you're sufficiently bored (this post bored even me), I'll let you go read your other more interesting blogs. Check back after the weekend. Maybe something fun will have happened on the camping trip that I can make a decent entry out of. I wonder if I could trick The Hubster into relieving himself on a clump of poison ivy? That would make for good blogging, huh?
Posted @
9:08 AM ~
2 comments
I have once again inadvertently caused trauma to my daughter. Because of a scheduling snafu, she had to go with me last night when I donated blood at our church's blood drive. I told her she could sit out in the hall, but she chose to come in with me and sit on the far side of the room. When it was my turn, she moved over to my side of the room and then came to stand by me when I told her it was okay.
As I'm squeezing the little foam gripper, I hear one of the workers say, "Let's lay her down." I looked over and saw a young college-age girl who had finished donating but must have gotten queasy. By the time I was finished, she was in the canteen area sipping water and eating something. Since there was only one table in the canteen, Drama Queen and I sat across from her and her boyfriend. Pretty soon she started to feel woozy again. He stood up as she put her head down between her knees. She tried to tell him to get somebody, but he didn't do anything but stand there. I don't know if he kind of froze or what happened. I yelled over to the closest worker, "I think she needs some help." I couldn't believe how fast they all came running. They got there just as she passed out cold. They put her on the floor, got some wet towels, turned a fan on and kept saying her name loudly, trying to get her to come around and respond.
I knew that Drama Queen was probably freaked out, so I tried to act like it was no big deal. I talked to her about it very matter-of-factly and then tried to get her mind off of it. No such luck. She was terrified that I was going to pass out. I explained that I had eaten and had lots of water just like they told me to and that I was feeling fine.
As we left, she began questioning me in earnest.
DQ: What happens if you pass out while we're driving? Me: If I thought I was going to pass out, I'd pull over and stop the car. DQ: Should I call 911? Me: That would be a good idea. Tell them that I just gave blood, though, so they know why I passed out and that I'm not sick. DQ: What would they do when they got here? Me: Probably the same thing they did to help that girl.
Every 5 seconds after that she asked me if I was going to pass out. I explained that I felt fine, I would have already passed out if I was going to, etc. Pretty soon the prayers started. When we finally turned onto our street, she was so relieved that we were home and she could run to the neighbors' if something happened.
I have to tell you, though, that once we got in the house, I had to have a serious talk with myself to keep from acting like I was going to pass out. 'Cause I'm evil that way. You'll be happy to know that I didn't damage my daughter any more by yielding to the temptation.
Posted @
8:51 AM ~
5 comments
I took the lazy way out last night and let The Hubster drop off and pick up Drama Queen from gymnastics. She has taken for a little over a year, but just joined this new gym about 6 weeks ago. She came flying in tonight announcing that she had good news and bad news. The bad news was that she was shaking the whole time and there weren't any cups at the water cooler to get a drink. I automatically assumed that she was dehydrated or something and that was causing her to shake. I was wrong.
Apparently the teachers tested a new girl and Drama Queen for the competitive team. Hence the shaking. Drama Queen didn't have all the details, so I have to call them. Plus, I don't think I could have gotten it out of her if she did know, what with all the bouncing and cartwheeling and unintelligible babbling.
I wonder how much this is going to cost me?
Posted @
7:42 AM ~
1 comments
Apparently I am supposed to tuck away into my little brain every song, every book, every TV show, and every conversation that I've ever experienced with Drama Queen. Here is a conversation from last night:
DQ: Mom, you remember that street song? Me: Uh...no? DQ: You know, Mom, the one about the street. Me: Sorry. I don't know what you're talking about. DQ: Yes, you do! Remember the one that we heard in the car while the guys were gone? Me: shaking my head with a blank look on my face DQ: The one where they say "street" really high...or really low. Me: (lightbulb moment) You mean "Electric Avenue"? DQ: Yeah, that's it! I like that song.
It's amazing I was able to pull that one out of the air.
Posted @
7:01 AM ~
1 comments
Last night when I was outside with the puppy trying (unsuccessfully) to get her to go to the bathroom before I went to bed, I noticed lightning off in the distance. For those of you who don't know me, I love, love, LOVE storms. Love. Them. I never want a tornado to hit or anything like that, but I love the thunder and lightning. There's something so energizing and exciting about storms.
Karate Kid and I went out to the hammock while we were waiting on the dog. I was afraid he would see the lightning. As much as I LOVE storms, he FEARS storms. He is completely unable to be still or focus on anything else but the storm, even if it is miles away from us and in no danger of coming our way. The poor child literally paces the floor. We try and try (and try!) to reassure him, but it doesn't do any good. Thankfully the lightning was far off enough that he couldn't see it without being directed to look in the appropriate direction. As we were lying there, he asked me if it was going to storm. As much as I would love to protect him, I am totally and completely against lying. I told him that it might because I had seen lightning (see what an evil mother I am? Hee Hee.). We spent the next few minutes watching the lightning, and he did amazingly well. Probably because it was so far away it was hard to see, it was pretty infrequent, and we never heard any thunder.
Back to my love of storms. Apparently it came through while I was asleep because I woke up to blinking clocks telling me there had been a power failure. For some reason my alarm clock never lost power but things in the kitchen did. Did I hear a single roll of thunder? No. Did I see a strike of lightning? No. Was I upset that I missed it? Yes, yes, yes. Apparently we were all tired because not even Karate Kid woke me up, and I can always count on him. I told The Hubster recently that we don't need a weather alert radio, we've got K.K.
There's hope for the rest of the day, though, because apparently we still have a chance for more storms to pop up. I guess I better get The Hubster's Father's Day present now while the sun is shining so I can sit back and enjoy the nature show later.
Posted @
7:53 AM ~
1 comments
Did you know this Sunday is Father's Day? Did you know that I haven't bought one single thing for any of the dads in my life? Not a gift, not a card, not a tie in sight. There's something about Mother's Day and Father's Day that make me drag my feet. I think a lot of it has to do with coordinating visitation schedules with each of our families. I just really hate to spend the whole day driving from one house to the other.
This year will be much easier because my dad is in Canada (I just realized he left yesterday and neither one of us called the other!), and we are doing the in-law thing Saturday night instead of Sunday.
So here's what I get for waiting until the last minute: I know what The Hubster wants, but I'm not sure where to get it. No matter where I go, I will have to drive to another town to pick it up. In the rain. Well, I assume it's going to rain because we have a 70% chance for tomorrow. Maybe I'll be able to dodge the showers long enough to run get it and get back.
How many of you buy all the gifts for every occasion no matter if it's your family or his? Me too. You know what? I'm going to have The Hubster buy his own dad a gift. How's that?! It'll be cash, but who cares. One less thing for me to have to worry about, and we all know that it's all about me.
Posted @
6:58 AM ~
1 comments
Right now I'm dreaming of a good long nap! I was wired at bedtime last night, so I ended up going to bed later than usual. Then Drama Queen came in over and over throughout the night. I don't even remember what she wanted the first few times, but she made it abundantly clear the last. She was crying and wanted to sleep in bed with me because she was worried that "a bad guy will come and kill you and then I won't have a mom." That's pretty intense for a little girl to worry about.
She wanted to sleep in bed with us (specifically right by me), but there just isn't room. She sat with me for a few minutes while I rubbed her back, hugged her and loved her while trying to assure her that I was okay. She tried lying (laying?) down on the edge of the bed for a few minutes, but I finally had to make her lay down in the floor instead because it was so cramped . Bless her little heart, I could hear her down there crying.
Since she frequently sleepwalks and talks in her sleep, I asked her this morning what had her so worked up to see if she even remembered any of it. She remembered being upset but didn't know what started it all. She said she could feel the dried tears on her face. Breaks my heart all over again.
Posted @
9:28 AM ~
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Okay, here are pictures of the infamous dress. Don't say you weren't warned. The first one, though, is of Drama Queen pulling my niece down the "aisle." The next one is one of my sister and I. The last one is of all the bridesmaids and my sis.
The dress has been laundered and is now in Drama Queen's dress-up stash.
I've been experimenting the last week. Nooo, not like that. I've been doing an experiment in slowing down. After all, it's summer, the ultimate take-it-easy time of year.
For those of you who listen to Alabama, you'll recognize these lyrics:
I'm in a hurry to get things done. I rush and rush until life's no fun. All I really gotta do is live and die But I'm in a hurry and don't know why.
That, ladies and gentlemen, could be the theme song of my life. I need to check my baby book to see how old I was when I walked. I would bet I was an early walker. And I'm sure it didn't take long for me to learn to run.
Lately I have felt like I am missing out on things. I wake up feeling like I'm running behind and then spend the rest of the day playing catch-up, trying to get as many things done as possible before I drop from exhaustion. I continually feel guilty because I haven't accomplished as much as I wanted. My whole life is passing by in a blur because I'm too busy rushing from one thing to another.
Last week I decided that I'd had enough. I was tired of feeling anxious and stressed out all the time because I was constantly in a hurry. I think it really hit home when I realized how impatiently I was (not) listening to my daughter try to tell me something. I always get so aggravated with her because not only does she do everything in her own time and do it slowly, but listening to her tell a story is like water torture to me. Drip...drip...drip. All I can think of is how much I need to get done and what I could have accomplished in the time it took her to tell me those five sentences.
So last week began my experiment in slowing down. Now I do the same things I normally do, but I slow down to do them. I don't race the clock anymore. I actually sit down every once in a while to let myself rest for 5 minutes before I try to tackle something else. I've been watching TV less and reading more. I even try to move more slowly. For a race walker like me, that's a big accomplishment.
I feel incredibly better. I don't feel the tension in my shoulders and neck as much. I don't feel like I am in a perpetual state of rushing, causing my heart to accelerate and my breathing to be fast and shallow. I am able to be just a tad bit more patient. I feel like I have time for my children again.
It's funny, but I since I've slowed down some, I feel like my day is longer. Now all I need is a wraparound porch, a good book and a cold drink. Actually, just look for me in the hammock instead.
Posted @
8:47 AM ~
0 comments
The wedding is over, which means my stress is over. I made it through without flashing anybody (I think). And once I got into my dress and got busy getting things ready, I sort of forgot how bad I looked. Of course, losing the ring makes everything else come into perspective very quickly!
Yes, I lost my brother-in-law's wedding ring. He has huge hands, so his ring was big even on my thumb. I wore it around for a few minutes and then went to put more lipstick on. A few minutes later I gasped so loudly that everyone in the whole room heard me. Had I been thinking, I would have made a very quiet announcement so my sister didn't hear what happened. But I was so startled that I blurted out, "I can't find the ring!" If I thought I was panicked before...And my poor sister was probably beside herself.
We searched the room several times over and couldn't find it. I even looked in the pocket of my purse where I keep my lipstick. Out of desperation, I finally dumped the entire contents of my purse. And, praise God and all that is holy, there it was! I put it back on and curled my hand into a fist. I never opened my fingers again until it was time to give the ring to my dad (the preacher) during the ceremony. I thought they were going to have to pry my fingers open to get it because my fingers were so stiff and sore by that time.
There were a few things that didn't happen exactly like my sister had planned it, but it was a wonderful wedding. The setting was perfect: on the top of a hill overlooking the lake. There were lots of tall trees to provide shade, and it was neat to look out and see sailboats off in the distance.
We all had a part of some sort: I was the Matron of Honor, The Hubster video taped it, Karate Kid was an usher and seated my mom, and Drama Queen was a Jr. Bridesmaid and was in charge of pulling my 6mo niece down the aisle in a wagon. A-dor-able! Drama Queen has talked of nothing else since last night. She's already wanting to be in another wedding, although I think she's going to be highly disappointed since we don't have any other weddings on the horizon.
I'll post a few pics when we get them. And, Kailani, I may even post one of me in *gasp* The Dress. It's back to shorts and T-shirts for me, thankyouverymuch.
Posted @
7:26 PM ~
1 comments
The wedding is 3½ hours from now. I have to be there in 2 hours. I am a nervous wreck, and it's not even my wedding.
I tried the dresson last night. That brought me to a screeching halt. Now I don't look just like a huge, pink whale. I also look like part flapper and part old spinster schoolmarm. I can hardly wait to stand up in front of relatives that I haven't seen for several years plus many people that I hear about all the time but haven't yet met. "Hi, good-friend-from-college! I'd like you to meet my whale--er, sister."
It's an outside wedding, and the wind is blowing. Any bets on how many times the crowd sees my ultra-control fat sucker-upper before the day is over?
But not for me! My whole family will be gone tonight, the guys still gone to Boy Scout camp and Drama Queen spending the night with a friend. That leaves me all alone for the night. In. My. Own. Home.
It's nice to get away by yourself every now and then. I routinely escape by running errands just so I can get some time alone. When I can convince The Hubster not to accompany me, that is. He has this thing about togetherness. He doesn't understand that I've been together with 9 million children all day and just want some time where I don't have to deal with another human being in any way except to hand over the plastic to pay for my purchases.
Now that's all well and good, but the very best thing is getting to be all alone in my own home. At home I have the freedom of choice: clothes or jammies? TV or computer? reading in the hammock or in the living room? And the silence is golden. No trying to concentrate on what I'm reading while tuning-out Spongebob. Somehow his horrid little laugh always worms its way in and ruins the setting.
I treasure my time at home all alone. I'm scared to even post this because there is a possibility of my plans going awry. What if the guys decide to come home tonight instead of in the morning? What if my favorite aunts get into town tonight for my sister's weddingtomorrow and Mom invites me over? Can you imagine the angst in making that decision? Of course I would have to go see my aunts, but my nice, quiet home would be beckoning to me all throughout the evening.
So everybody keep your fingers crossed and think quiet thoughts.
Posted @
7:49 AM ~
2 comments
I have been battling a killer headache the last several days. I've tried taking allergy medicine and ibuprofen, but it hasn't even made a dent. I mentioned to a friend of mine tonight that something must be in the air because my sister and one of her friends were both battling migraines. When I described the pain I was having, she told me she thought mine was a migraine also.
My sister has told me the same thing in the past, but I don't have any of the regular symptoms of a migraine other than a splitting headache. I don't get nauseous. I don't have to lie down and close the shades (although I would jump at the opportunity any time I could get away with it!). I don't see stars, spots, two-headed animals or any other unusual items. My friend still insisted that she thought it was a milder form of migraines.
I was supposed to walk with another friend of mine, but I was very seriously contemplating bailing on her because my head was killing me. The friend I was talking to gave me some Excedrin Migraine to see if it helped. That did the trick. No more headache for me. Yea!!! The walk continued as planned.
But you know what I forgot? That Excedrin Migraine has caffeine in it. And not just some piddly little amount. No, this has the equivalent of a cup of coffee. That's a large shot of espresso for someone who steers clear of caffeine (for medical reasons). When it kicked in, it about knocked me off of my feet. We were walking and then--BAM! Cue the racing heart and shaking. It has been four hours since I took the medicine, and I still feel like one of those toys that you wind up and watch bounce across the table. The one that, if you don't catch it in time, falls to the floor and continues to bounce on its side like it is having convulsions.
I haven't felt this awake in...years! Probably since I was a child who got plenty of rest and was unencumbered by the petty details of life like paying bills and raising children. If I was smart, I would use this energy to my advantage and clean my house and/or do laundry. But I'm not, so I won't.
At least now I know that speed and I could never be friends.
Posted @
10:24 PM ~
1 comments
A memory popped into my head the other day, unrelated to anything I was doing. When Karate Kid was preschool age, he went to a "Kindgergarten Prep" class at the Mother's Day Out at our church. It was for all of the kids who had missed the birthday cut-off for that year. His teacher was a former kindgergarten teacher. The lady was past retirement age...and the age of teaching, in my opinion. She was a little gruff and a little too grumpy to be working with kids all day. K.K. was/is such a smart boy that I wasn't worried about school at all. Until his teacher began making comments when I would go pick him up.
At first she complained about how slowly he ate. Day after day she would inform me, with that "are you ever going to do something about this?" look on her face, "Karate Kid was the last one finished eating today. Again!" Looking back, I wish I had handled things much differently. I was the first-time mom of a preschooler. Everything this teacher said was taken as gospel. I talked to K.K. and encouraged him to eat faster. We had the same conversation over and over again. I was thrilled the day I picked him up and wasn't informed that my child was the slowest eating child in the class.
Now I look back and just boil about it. Who the &*@! cares if he was the last one done eating? Someone has to be last. And slower eaters generally don't have problems with being overweight because they give their bodies time to realize when it's had enough.
Once we crossed the hurdle of slow eating, she met me at the door one day and told me that my son was a perfectionist (no news there) and that he would not do well in public school at all. She said that her daughter was the same way and had struggled all the way through school. I was devestated. I contemplated homeschooling for a very brief period of time. I knew that it wasn't possible for me to homeschool, so I waited with her words playing in the back of my mind until he was well-established in kindergarten.
At the Christmas break, that teacher moved and a new one took her place. It was a complete turn around. I only heard praise and encouragement from this teacher. Karate Kid loved his class and did very well in everything they did. And once K.K. did start public school, he did great. He just finished 5th grade and made straight A's every year.
I get so worked up when I think about that teacher! I don't even know why I blogged about it other than maybe to give hope to someone else who may read this and have a similar situation. Follow your instincts. You are your child's parent. You know your "baby" better than anyone. Don't let anyone else plant ideas in your head and make you worry.
And now I will take my soapbox and leave.
Posted @
3:17 PM ~
1 comments
Drama Queen (looking at the bowl of dog food): I wish I could eat one more piece of dog food before I die!*
The Hubster: She's different.
Karate Kid: What did you guys do to her?
*We found out a couple of years ago that Drama Queen used to get a handful of dog food and hide in her closet to eat it. She also used to drink the saline for my contacts. It's amazing the child is still alive considering there are probably tons of other things she's ingested that I don't know about yet.
Posted @
5:47 PM ~
1 comments
I've been having problems with my cell phone charging. Or not charging, actually. I plug it in, just like every other time, and get a nice little message that tells me it is unable to charge. Just when I was about to give up, I got a letter from my cell phone company telling me that since we've passed the GPS tax and my phone didn't have GPS on it, I could upgrade to a new phone for a penny. Of course I went for the deal. It was totally legit; one penny, no new contract, no other fees.
This morning The Hubster and I were doing some shopping, and I found a new purse that I really liked. I took my cell phone out to see if it would fit in one of the little pockets on the front, stuck it back in its place in my old purse, and headed home. As soon as we got home, I noticed my phone was gone. We tried calling it, but it wasn't in the truck. Back to the store, this time with a child in tow, along for the joyride and constant talking. We found it in the parking lot, with our tire tracks on it. The Hubster told me he thought he felt a little bump when he pulled out of the parking space.
Unbelievably, it still works. Just not very well. I can still make and receive calls on it, but it's got a lot of static, so I need to get it fixed. Do they have repairs at any of the three stores in our town? No. I have to drive to the "city" to get it fixed. Of course, that's only 15 miles from here, but still. And their website says they're open until 8:00 tonight, but no one will answer the @*!$ phone in the service department. My guys are leaving for Boy Scout camp tomorrow, so I guess Drama Queen and I will combine dropping the phone off with an outing to the water park where we have season passes. We're going there to celebra--er, mourn the fact that we'll be alone for a week.
Why is it that everything I get for "free" ends up costing me so much?
Posted @
1:37 PM ~
1 comments
I am in my sister's wedding a week from tomorrow. I am also the heaviest I've ever been in my life. Including when I went to the hospital to have my children.
My mother is making the bridesmaid dresses, so she came over earlier this week to try on what she had made. The result? A nightmare. No, really, I dreamed about it that night. It was one of those I'm-late-for-a-really-important-event-and-can't-find-my-dress/hose/shoes thing. She ended up using what she had made for my sister-in-law and started over for me.
I am very short-waisted. Apparently I am short-waisted in a freaky way. Every time she makes me something, it is shorter in the front than in the back at the waist. This makes for a very fun time trying to make a dress, I'm sure. It's a good thing she can sew like a dream.
Last night Mom and my sister came back over to try again. Again, another dream. This one wasn't as bad as the first. I was going to the prom this time, and my dress was too low on the top and too sheer on the bottom. A full-length slip and a nice tummy-tucking, sucker-upper did the trick. But my ex-boyfriend was there, although this was my first ex and not the one that caused me so much grief and anguish. So maybe, just maybe, I'm feeling a little bit better about standing up in front of all these people looking like I need a big hook in my mouth and some grinning guy in a flowered shirt and Bermuda shorts standing next to me for a photo op.
Anybody know where I can buy some Spanx?
Posted @
7:06 AM ~
1 comments
I am fighting my natural instincts right now. I get up at 5:00 on weekday mornings so I can go walking with a friend. And I need to walk, believe you me! But 5-freeking-o'clock! Of course, if The Hubster would make his own lunch, I could eek out a few more precious minutes of sleep. That's not going to happen though.
I am a night owl. I love to stay up until about 1:00 and sleep in until I wake up on my own. Since I have to work, that's never gonna happen. But I would love to stay up later and not have to pay for it the next day. Take last night, for instance. The kiddlings were down at the neighbors' house playing. I had to call them home because The Hubster and I were headed to bed--at 8:45! It goes against everything in my life to go to bed at 9:00. I was tired when I went to bed but then got my second wind. I don't know how long it was until I went to sleep.
It has been so long since I've had a good night's sleep--and it shows. I've been "trying" to lose some weight, but I can't accomplish anything except eating the first thing my hand touches when I'm tired. And cooking? Ha! I hate cooking on a good day. By the time all the extra kids go home, all I want to do is collapse. My house looks like a tornado went through it. The mess stresses me out but apparently not enough for me to get my tired butt in gear and do something about it. Right now I feel like I am dragging my way through the day and then the next day starts before I've recovered from the previous one.
So I guess I have two options: stay up late and continue in the horrible rut I'm in right now (messy house, grouchy mood, weight creeping ever upward) or I can pretend like I'm 80 and go to bed before the sun sets. I better watch out or I'll be eating at Luby's before long.
Posted @
8:17 AM ~
2 comments
