Thing One, Thing Two, Thing Three

Hannah hates math, she takes after me. Otherwise, she's doing well in school.

Carter hates sight words for obvious reasons. Since he has a speech delay words aren't really his friend. I thought he was going to flap his hand off or punch me in the face when I asked him if he could pronounce "the" when I pointed to his paper with a pencil. It's amazing when reviewing sight words he flaps his hands and get SUPER aggravated but ask him to count and he whizzes through it easy-peasy. He recognized and then said the word "like" and I nearly cried. Brains are interesting things. 

Friday, Amelia's classmate had lice. That stuff terrifies me; I haven't and don't want to deal with lice. 

After work today I got a call from the early childhood special education department. I knew it would be coming now that Amelia was in the school district.  Amelia has "speech concerns" and they want to do more testing. They will do further testing on her speech but also any other delays. I was glad to get the call but now I'm having visions of Carter cropping in my head and hoping it will be different for her. 

I guess we'll see what the next 90 days will bring as they have 30 days to contact me to set up testing and 60 days to complete testing. 

I'm glad she'll be getting the help she needs and I'll try to ignore this ball of terror in my gut that there might be more issues. 

granny

It's weird how simple things can trigger a memory. My Granny was a cleaner. She always kept her house clean-no clutter. But the floors.


THE. FLOORS.


She would walk across any floor, didn't matter where she was, if something was in the floor she'd bend down and pick it up. Every. Time. Even when she was so far off her rocker and didn't want to get out of bed because she was having a bad day with her health. She'd wander out to the living room see something in the floor and pick it up. We always just stared at her like really Granny, you feel awful, leave the piece of paper in the floor. But she wouldn't. She always kept on with that paper. I used to roll my eyes and think she was nuts when I was younger. Now I look back and appreciate her tenacity.


I was sitting on the couch last night looking at my floors. They're disgusting. The dog chewed paper, wood, plastic...you name it, he's chewed it. Carter chews paper and between the two chewers the floor shows their evidence. Gross.


I started to think about Granny and how she'd roll over in her grave if she knew my floors had so much debris.


I had the kids clean the big chunks of chew debris and toys and clothes and what ever else seems to get drug out but is no ones fault because we have elves in our house that make a mess and it's never the kids fault. Is this just at my house? I vacuumed. The vacuum broke because if you want your vacuum to die send it to my house. I took it all apart and put it back together and it worked. I continued my task and my floors look awesomely clean now.


I'm thankful for Granny and her OCD-floor-debris ways. She taught me to keep on keeping on.

you did what?

Amelia's had a fever off and on all weekend beginning Friday evening. Saturday she was starting to feel a bit better late in the evening after some tylenol and began moving around the house more and playing with her sister. Phew.

Hannah and I sit down to watch Treehouse Masters and I notice the dog is not around. I thought oh he must be laying under my bed upstairs. Time passes and I still think gosh he hasn't been around lately so I call him and start whistling because surely by now he needs to go out and relieve himself. Silence. I call him and whistle louder. Silence. I send the girls upstairs to see if he's hiding under the bed. No dog.

I can feel the panic creeping in. Where could he be? I whistle and call him again. Nothing, no jingling tag, no scratching at a closed door nothing.

I look at Amelia, "you didn't let the dog out earlier did you?" As I remember telling her a few hours ago to keep the sliding glass door shut so none of the animals escape. She hangs her head low and in the saddest voice ever.  "Mommy, I'm sorry I let Baxter out earlier. He ran away from me when I let him out." Hannah and I look at each other. Panic has sat in.

I yank open the back door and begin feverishly yelling his name and whistling. Silence. I don't see him anywhere. I run upstairs calling the dog, whistling, checking every room. He doesn't come.

Finally, I grab my keys and head outside. Calling him and calling him. I get in my car roll down the windows drive all through the neighborhood. I don't see him, I don't hear him. He's gone. I'm praying that I find the dog. Thinking the worst. He is a puppy and if someone found him they would probably keep him because let's face facts; people are dishonest especially when they think they won't get caught. I start wondering why no one has called since he has a collar? Will they take him and have his microchipped scanned? Is he dead in a ditch? Why isn't he coming when I call? Why would Amelia let him out and then not tell anyone? Why wouldn't he scratch and bark at the back door? Why? Why? Why?

I finally get back to our street and the dog is no where to be seen. I see Tom with a flashlight walking towards me. We both say almost in unison, "He's gone and never coming back." "Someone has him."

We all pile back in the house; Hannah sobbing.

I check under the bed to make sure one last time that our precious boy is really gone. Baxter is staring me in the face. I call his name and I can see his legs move. I call him more and he starts to army crawl out from the middle of the bed. By now all the kids are crowded around as we wait for the dog to appear. We give him lots of belly rubs and kisses and are so relieved that he was under the bed the entire time.

Amelia and I had a long talk about lying, telling the truth and what to do if the dog does get out and you need help to get him back. Oh and her fever came back. I'll need another weekend to recover from this stressful weekend.

school days

Praise God, the kids are doing marvelous in school.

It's always a little nerve wracking when you have one going into Kindergarten where they're expected to act more like big kids and less and less like little preschoolers. Then add one kid starting preschool where she needs to act like a preschooler and listen/obey and *gasp* take daily naps. I'm glad to report everyone seems to be buzzing right along and falling in to step.

Hannah is making friends and has become the student council representative for her class. Yesterday, she was on the morning announcements at school. Carter was so excited to hear his sister on the speaker. I'm super proud of her!

Carter has surprised me the most with his overall change in attitude towards school. He now comes home everyday and shows me his folder. Then we work on any homework which he gladly does. No fighting like last year. He just overall seems more responsible and I am loving it!

He has a little work to be done still with his letters and the way in which he holds his scissors. He's been letting me help him and that has delighted my heart.

Amelia Jane...she's a little spit fire. She "tells stories" or as I like to call it lies. Not just innocent make believe things but weird things like "My teacher gave me a shot today." "Right there" and points to her arm. My favorite "story" was before school started. "When I start school, I'm going to go over to the door, turn the door knob and sneak out. Then they're going to have to look for me and I'm going to be sneaky." Like, really? Where does she come up with this?

My favorite Carter story of the week was just yesterday. We're walking through our garage and he says: "Oh Mommy, I have something to tell you as you know." "The first thing I have to tell you is my two girlfriends; they got in trouble because my one girlfriend hit my other girlfriend and that's bad." "The second thing I have to tell you is that I didn't poop my pants." "But, I kept my underwear in my book bag just in case."

He currently adds "as you know" to nearly every sentence. He also was sick Friday and Saturday hence his poop his pants comment. 

Prescription Savings Cards, what?!?!

Have you all heard of such a thing?

I never had.

Tom's diabetes and neuropathy pain prescription co-pays have crippled our budget. I went along with him to the doctor this last go-round to ask if there was anything they could prescribe that would be less costly. The doctor looks at me like I have five heads and says aren't you using the card? Um, I'm using my insurance card? He says no, the savings card that will help pay all or most of your co-pay. What??? No I'm not and I'll take ten please ;) So suffice it to say we are now going to be able to afford medicine once again. Hallelujah!

I never thought we'd be those folks you see on commercials talking about how they can't afford medicine and we totally became them. I don't know how they expect people to fork over $500-$600 a month (or more) on just prescriptions.

If you too are using prescriptions that cost an arm and a leg try to get a savings card. They will be offered by the manufacturer of the medicine you're using. Good luck and hope this helps others!

The days are long but the years are short

The past two months have brought a lot of changes in our lives. New house, new dog, new schools and a new girl scout troop. Phew!

Today was Amelia's first day of preschool. It feels so official marking the first day she'll begin school and stay in the school system until she graduates. I'm sure for her it will feel like an eternity is dragging on and I'll blink and she'll become a high school senior.

Carter started Kindergarten last week. By the end of the school year he'll be a different boy.

Hannah is a second grader; how do I have a second grader? She's a brownie in Girl Scouts...I can still remember being a Brownie!!! Gah!

Tom and I have the kids constant since we moved to Missouri so it's really strange to not have anyone but us in the house right now. I thought about cleaning and unpacking boxes without interruption but that hasn't really happened. I'm just too busy enjoying the quiet!

voting on proposition one

The past few days my Facebook feed has been absolutely flooded with the yays or nays of voting on proposition one or bills similar to in various cities and states. Today Springfield voted on such a bill that will either keep or overturn a human rights bill which essentially protected the LGBT community and could potentially harm the Christian community.

It's been interesting to hear both sides of the argument. I always enjoy learning the differences between my faith and the faith of others. I find it even more interesting when Christianity is used in a way to support someone's behavior. I posted an article to my Facebook account yesterday that was a good read showing how the supporters of the LBGT community were using Christianity to support the LGBT community. I found it thought provoking and it also helped me to better understand just why so many people I know and consider my friend feel that Jesus is love and we should love everyone regardless of their sexual orientation.

I myself went to vote Yes to repeal only to discover I live outside of city limits and my opinion doesn't matter to the City of Springfield.

I wonder how many more cities and states will have such votes in hopes to preserve the rights of Christians?

die-a-beat-us

When you say it real slow it's a little creepy.

Tom has type 1 diabetes and when his blood sugars are high they are crazy high. So high that he turns into a crazy, angry, irrational monster or as I like to let him know...he's hangry. That's our code word for "your acting a little bit crazy and your blood sugars must be jacked."

For a time there I thought he may have been literally suffering from a mental disorder because his mood would change like the flip of a switch.

The good news is he is getting treated with insulin and that has helped phenomenally.

In addition to having diabetes he now has a rare "diabetic rash" on his ankle which needed biopsied to confirm what was going on. I honestly thought he had skin cancer by the looks of it; thankfully it was not! The official name is Necrobiosis Lipoidica Diabeticorum and there is no absolute cure just treatment in hope to lessen the appearance and symptoms. 

If anyone has the name of a good diabetic cookbook or tips that would help him it would be much appreciated! Everyone in this house is starting on a diabetic diet.

sunshine and rainbows

I thought I was having one of "those" weeks and it's only Tuesday, oy.

It started yesterday I was so tired. I think it was my nap combined with Starbucks later in the day and this Mama could not sleep at night. I drifted off somewhere around 3:30 only to spring awake for work at 5:30 6:00 (thank you snooze button). I somehow managed to make it through work and then when I got home things got worse. I woke up today still angry from the prior incident and worried. Thanks to my Dad (I jokingly call him Doom and Gloom) I take a situation and think of every possible outcome and all of these possible outcomes suck. I try to keep it together and decide to read my daily, this always makes me feel better I say to myself. Today was short and sweet. "Blessed are the peacemakers for they will be called the children of God." This did not make me feel better. Where is the scripture instructing me to throat punch my enemy? Because let's be honest, that's how I really feel.

Man, I just couldn't shake this sadness and anger which is not normally like me. I crack open the Bible again thinking surely I'll find something in here to help the situation. This just left me with more questions and now I have a post-it note with a ton of notes and still feeling like I'm no closer to an "answer."

It finally clicks....be a peacemaker. Did I not just read this? Am I totally ignoring what I'm instructed? Uh, my bad.

After I got my heart right about the situation the day went much better. Carter and I even went on a date...to Walmart.

So lesson of the day:

When you feel like this:

Remember this:

update on life

We found a church! 

It's one thing to pray and study the Bible at home. It's SO much nicer to add in corporate worship and begin to build bonds with other folks just like you...struggling sinners. We began going to a new Life Group which my previous church titled Community Group; if any of you Stoners happen to be reading this. Life Group has been especially good for me who has been void of friends for oh seven-ish months. Ugh. 

Hannah met a little girl at group and hit it off right away. They were so cute hanging out all night this past Sunday and of course have a play date lined up in a couple of weeks. Watching her makes me think of my own best friend and I, we met while still in church nursery as babies and have stayed together ever since. I pray my girl finds a friend like that...a lifetime friend. 

Carter has been doing really good in school. Oddly, he had a rough week last week and did not get to choose a prize from the prize box (insert the sounds of total devastation here). Today, he came home in a great mood, participated in his activities, took nap, listened and obeyed all day. Phew! He had me concerned for half a second that he was following the same pattern as last year but hopefully we got him turned back around on the correct path. Guys, it's time for Kindergarten registration. Be still my heart. 

Amelia had a screening for Preschool with our school district today. I really hope she's accepted for next year. Fingers crossed. She tested really well in most categories with a low score in articulation. She puts an L as the beginning sound to a lot of her words which at times can make it hard to understand the word she's saying. We'll know in 7-10 days how she made out from her screening. The highlight of her week is church and getting to play with other kids. Poor girl, she asks me nearly every day if she can go to school and bring her backpack and lunch box.