It is coming to the end of August and I have mixed emotions. Jordan has been out of control this week - running away worse than ever, screaming, yelling, not listening - I feel like we have regressed three years. I think she is ready to be back at school and for some normal routine.
But I love having everyone home and am going to miss them all like crazy when that first day comes around in a couple weeks!!
The last couple weeks have been a roller coaster of emotions. My best friend and her family moved to Florida. Her husband was offered truly his dream job working for Disney. In two weeks they got the job offer and packed up and moved. Their daughter, Julia, is Jordan's best friend and as much as it is too abstract for her to truly comprehend that Julia is gone, something has sunk in which has led to a few teary episodes and, I believe, contributed to some of our recent outbursts!! It has been an emotional time for all of us. Walking through their empty house with them one last time was heartwrenching.
And then in the midst of it - there are the funny moments to celebrate. Jordan turned six about a month ago - it took us almost 11 months to convince her to say 5 when she was asked her age so when Kelly asked her the other day at dance if she was 21 and her immediate response was to say, "nooo- I six", it was a monumental moment!!
Or last night when we were watching TV and a commercial for Hershey's came on. Jordie's reaction "Chocolate. I love chocolate" - perfectly enunciated!!" And very true!
The biggest lessons Jordan has taught me is to slow down and appreciate the small things!! It is the small things that make Heather's and my friendship what it is and what it will continue to be, despite half a continent between us!
The chaos
Wednesday, August 25, 2010
Thursday, July 22, 2010
An hour at football
JJ had receiver camp this week for an hour and half every afternoon while Jessi and Bethany were at dance camp. Today I got tired of the whole throw the three little ones in their car seats for five minutes to drop him off and decided that we would just hang out there the last hour today.
It was actually great weather - a little warm but not bad so for the first 45 minutes the three of them just found discarded footballs and threw them around. Which was all good other than the moments that Timothy clearly demonstrated he has been watching how to tackle so when Nathan would pick up the football he would get plowed over by Timothy.
In the midst of this Timothy suddenly spotted JJ - who was participating in a drill. Timothy started yelling "JJ" "JJ". I told him "Timothy, shhh, JJ is busy!" To which Timothy turned to me and announced very loudly, "I talking to JJ!" turned back around and started yelling "JJ", "JJ" - "Timothy - JJ is busy - be quiet!", "Mom - I talking to JJ" It was pretty funny!
The last fifteen minutes we moved over to another part of the track that runs around the field - suddenly all three of their eyes lit up as they spotted the puddle. I saw it and thought - perfect they will run through that and splash a bit - perfect to keep them in one place and busy for the last little bit. I turned to watch JJ and when I turned back around there was Timothy - stomach down in his dirty puddle paddling his arms and legs!
"Tate - whatcha doing?"
"I swimmin' in da puddle!!!"
After a bit of this he realized his hair was not wet so he stood in the middle of the puddle and leaned over until his head hit the water. Which Nathan immediately tried to copy but couldn't quite bring himself to lean over far enough.
Timothy got filthy - he was soaked back to front and through his diaper but he was having fun. A couple moms there kept shooting me dirty looks - which kind of surprised me - really? what is the big deal that a five year old, a two year old and a one year old jumping around in a puddle - yes Timothy may have taken it a little far - but who was he hurting? My car? I simply stripped him before I put him in. He wasn't being loud, he wasn't getting anyone else wet - just having fun in a dirty puddle!! How long are we young enough to truly not care that we are getting wet and dirty and people are looking at us? Celebrate it while we can!!
And as a side note - the dads standing there thought it was great :)
It was actually great weather - a little warm but not bad so for the first 45 minutes the three of them just found discarded footballs and threw them around. Which was all good other than the moments that Timothy clearly demonstrated he has been watching how to tackle so when Nathan would pick up the football he would get plowed over by Timothy.
In the midst of this Timothy suddenly spotted JJ - who was participating in a drill. Timothy started yelling "JJ" "JJ". I told him "Timothy, shhh, JJ is busy!" To which Timothy turned to me and announced very loudly, "I talking to JJ!" turned back around and started yelling "JJ", "JJ" - "Timothy - JJ is busy - be quiet!", "Mom - I talking to JJ" It was pretty funny!
The last fifteen minutes we moved over to another part of the track that runs around the field - suddenly all three of their eyes lit up as they spotted the puddle. I saw it and thought - perfect they will run through that and splash a bit - perfect to keep them in one place and busy for the last little bit. I turned to watch JJ and when I turned back around there was Timothy - stomach down in his dirty puddle paddling his arms and legs!
"Tate - whatcha doing?"
"I swimmin' in da puddle!!!"
After a bit of this he realized his hair was not wet so he stood in the middle of the puddle and leaned over until his head hit the water. Which Nathan immediately tried to copy but couldn't quite bring himself to lean over far enough.
Timothy got filthy - he was soaked back to front and through his diaper but he was having fun. A couple moms there kept shooting me dirty looks - which kind of surprised me - really? what is the big deal that a five year old, a two year old and a one year old jumping around in a puddle - yes Timothy may have taken it a little far - but who was he hurting? My car? I simply stripped him before I put him in. He wasn't being loud, he wasn't getting anyone else wet - just having fun in a dirty puddle!! How long are we young enough to truly not care that we are getting wet and dirty and people are looking at us? Celebrate it while we can!!
And as a side note - the dads standing there thought it was great :)
Wednesday, July 14, 2010
The Value of an Hour
Yesterday took an unexpected detour to Battle Lake (3 hours from here) and back.
Jessi headed off to Camp Battle Lake - also known as my in-laws' cabin. My in-laws have a tradition that Jessi and my niece Lucy spend about a week a the cabin with them each summer. Yesterday my brother-in-law, Bobby, flew in with Lucy, we met them for lunch, and then off they headed to Battle for a few days of fun in the sun and water with Nanny and Grandpa Bob.
I headed home (down two kids now since Bethany is at camp as well - which makes me feel like I am always forgetting something!!). About two hours later I looked at the floor of the living room to see Jessi's two bathing suits and the t-shirt we had made for Lucy sitting on the floor! My heart sank.
You have to understand that Jessi has been planning this trip for months!! And since I have not had a washing maching for a few weeks she has carefully been saving exactly what she wanted to bring - esp the bathing suits. One was new, only worn once, but she had doggedly not worn it to guarantee that she would have it to wear at Battle. And she loves that I make t-shirts every year for her and Lucy to wear - seh was so excited to give Lucy the shirt!! And they were sparkly this year!
I made some phone calls, inlcuding to Jessi, and I had one very sad 8 year old. I quickly headed to the post office (it is was almost 5pm and I was hoping to get it out) but I knew it was possible it wouldn't get there until Thurs - and we would all be up there Sat - the end of camp for her.
I started playing with time in my head trying to figure out if I could drive up there. It is 6 hours round trip and I realized if I skipped my soccer board meeting I could get up there and back by about midnight. Jessi is my kid who often gets lost in the shuffle, she is trying to figure out who she is and where she belongs - she and I are so much alike that we are like oil and water. I realized that driving up there was a great opportunity to let her know that what is important to her is worth my time just because it is important to her. I know it seems silly for a couple of suits but I also understand how devastated that all her planning had gotten messed up (I am pretty sure Jordan unpacked Jessi's suitcase).
When I ws about 16 I had a band concert I wasn't allowed to miss that conflicted with a basketball tournament. My dad drove me all the way to The Hague (from Frankfurt) the day after the concert so I could play basketball. I am guessing it was about a 20 hour round trip drive - that he did in one day - just because he knew that that tournament was important to me. That was over 20 years ago and I am still grateful for the love and sacrfifice he gave me.
Will Jessi remember this for 20 years? Probably not - but she will remember it this week - and she knows it was something that was done JUST for her HER - not for any of her siblings - just her!! And there are two scenerios - either it didn't matter to her much and I wasted 6 hours and a tank of gas - not that much considering the alternative - that it did matter and did send the message to her that she is important to me!
So what is the value of an hour - sometimes priceless :)
Jessi headed off to Camp Battle Lake - also known as my in-laws' cabin. My in-laws have a tradition that Jessi and my niece Lucy spend about a week a the cabin with them each summer. Yesterday my brother-in-law, Bobby, flew in with Lucy, we met them for lunch, and then off they headed to Battle for a few days of fun in the sun and water with Nanny and Grandpa Bob.
I headed home (down two kids now since Bethany is at camp as well - which makes me feel like I am always forgetting something!!). About two hours later I looked at the floor of the living room to see Jessi's two bathing suits and the t-shirt we had made for Lucy sitting on the floor! My heart sank.
You have to understand that Jessi has been planning this trip for months!! And since I have not had a washing maching for a few weeks she has carefully been saving exactly what she wanted to bring - esp the bathing suits. One was new, only worn once, but she had doggedly not worn it to guarantee that she would have it to wear at Battle. And she loves that I make t-shirts every year for her and Lucy to wear - seh was so excited to give Lucy the shirt!! And they were sparkly this year!
I made some phone calls, inlcuding to Jessi, and I had one very sad 8 year old. I quickly headed to the post office (it is was almost 5pm and I was hoping to get it out) but I knew it was possible it wouldn't get there until Thurs - and we would all be up there Sat - the end of camp for her.
I started playing with time in my head trying to figure out if I could drive up there. It is 6 hours round trip and I realized if I skipped my soccer board meeting I could get up there and back by about midnight. Jessi is my kid who often gets lost in the shuffle, she is trying to figure out who she is and where she belongs - she and I are so much alike that we are like oil and water. I realized that driving up there was a great opportunity to let her know that what is important to her is worth my time just because it is important to her. I know it seems silly for a couple of suits but I also understand how devastated that all her planning had gotten messed up (I am pretty sure Jordan unpacked Jessi's suitcase).
When I ws about 16 I had a band concert I wasn't allowed to miss that conflicted with a basketball tournament. My dad drove me all the way to The Hague (from Frankfurt) the day after the concert so I could play basketball. I am guessing it was about a 20 hour round trip drive - that he did in one day - just because he knew that that tournament was important to me. That was over 20 years ago and I am still grateful for the love and sacrfifice he gave me.
Will Jessi remember this for 20 years? Probably not - but she will remember it this week - and she knows it was something that was done JUST for her HER - not for any of her siblings - just her!! And there are two scenerios - either it didn't matter to her much and I wasted 6 hours and a tank of gas - not that much considering the alternative - that it did matter and did send the message to her that she is important to me!
So what is the value of an hour - sometimes priceless :)
Monday, July 12, 2010
Back to normal - sort of :)
We got Nathan back today after not having him for three weeks!! It was a step back into reality - in a good way. We have been on "vacation" but it was interspersed with things like the AC going out which made it not all together relaxing!!
So today was actually a beautiful moment of summer - Heather, Owen and Julia were over and the kids played out in the backyard for a couple hours while Heather and I just hung out and chatted - Summer truly does not get any better than that (okay Julia's faceplant coming down the slide that ended in a tooth coming out was not the best but you know - other than that...)
It is very odd not having Bethany home - she is at camp for two weeks and I miss her like crazy - I feel like I am always missing someone!! Tomorrow Jessi leaves for my in-laws cabin with her cousin and uncle - my house will seem empty!!
Nathan's favorite phrase is "what's that?" This sounds adorable - and it is the first 150 times you hear it- after that - a little wearing :) Apparently TImothy thought so as well because the two boys were sitting on JJ tonight as JJ was reading on Sonny's Kindle. Nathan kept saying "what's that?" and Timothy kept dutifully responding, until he had heard the question enough. At this point he yelled very clearly at Nathan, " A KIN-DLE" Pretty funny.
Timothy and Jordan were glad to have Nathan back though - it's kind of funny but it seems when you throw Nathan in the mix Jordan and Timothy pick on each other a little less. They aren't picking on Nathan but they don't mother hen each other as much. Maybe it is because Nathan doesn't seem to mind them mother henning him!!
Nathan also experienced the ramifications of walking behind a 7 year old on a moving swing today - you can imagine the result of that. Why is it that every child needs to get hit by a swing at least 15 times before they learn Newton's law that an object in motion will stay in motion until an opposing force acts upon it (I think - I might have the wrong :))
I have also half-heartedly started the potty training battle with Timothy- I started the chocolate bribe - he is obsessed with chocolate so it might actually succeed!! Maybe - he is pretty determined to do his own thing!! And that thing is usually anything he thinks I don't want him to do -he is two after all - LOL!
I am really like this summer's lazy days - I don't even want to think about the fact that fall soccer starts in a month and then school is just around the corner!!
So today was actually a beautiful moment of summer - Heather, Owen and Julia were over and the kids played out in the backyard for a couple hours while Heather and I just hung out and chatted - Summer truly does not get any better than that (okay Julia's faceplant coming down the slide that ended in a tooth coming out was not the best but you know - other than that...)
It is very odd not having Bethany home - she is at camp for two weeks and I miss her like crazy - I feel like I am always missing someone!! Tomorrow Jessi leaves for my in-laws cabin with her cousin and uncle - my house will seem empty!!
Nathan's favorite phrase is "what's that?" This sounds adorable - and it is the first 150 times you hear it- after that - a little wearing :) Apparently TImothy thought so as well because the two boys were sitting on JJ tonight as JJ was reading on Sonny's Kindle. Nathan kept saying "what's that?" and Timothy kept dutifully responding, until he had heard the question enough. At this point he yelled very clearly at Nathan, " A KIN-DLE" Pretty funny.
Timothy and Jordan were glad to have Nathan back though - it's kind of funny but it seems when you throw Nathan in the mix Jordan and Timothy pick on each other a little less. They aren't picking on Nathan but they don't mother hen each other as much. Maybe it is because Nathan doesn't seem to mind them mother henning him!!
Nathan also experienced the ramifications of walking behind a 7 year old on a moving swing today - you can imagine the result of that. Why is it that every child needs to get hit by a swing at least 15 times before they learn Newton's law that an object in motion will stay in motion until an opposing force acts upon it (I think - I might have the wrong :))
I have also half-heartedly started the potty training battle with Timothy- I started the chocolate bribe - he is obsessed with chocolate so it might actually succeed!! Maybe - he is pretty determined to do his own thing!! And that thing is usually anything he thinks I don't want him to do -he is two after all - LOL!
I am really like this summer's lazy days - I don't even want to think about the fact that fall soccer starts in a month and then school is just around the corner!!
Saturday, July 10, 2010
4th of JULY!!
First of all thank you to all of you who have encouraged me to start blogging again - the fact that you all read this and appreciate it is amazing!! You guys rock!!
I think my friendships are more serious now than they used to be. I used to be friends with whoever, whenever - now I think I have fewer friends but deeper friendships!! I don't know if that is the fact that I have a child with special needs, or that Sonny travels so much and the kids are so busy that friendship time is more precious, or that I am just getting older (old-er NOT old :)) - but whatever the reason my friendships seem more precious than they did when I was younger!
4th of July was a perfect example of how precious friends are!
It was a challenging day for me- my washing machine had broken down during the week, the day before our TV upstairs had inexplicably stopped working and the clincher - the air conditioning stopped functioning. The biggest bummer about the AC is that the day before I noticed it not working well but hoped it just needed a new filter so I replaced it and didn't open any windows. It was in the high 80s with 80 percent humidity - even through the night so you can do the math to what our house felt like by Sun afternoon!! We hadn't gone to church because of the lovely cough that Timothy and Jordan had picked up.
But I was working on my attitude - it was the 4th of July after all. The day that we celebrate the birth of our incredible nation - where we can live free and prosperously. Where I can take for granted the conveniences of AC, washing machines and cable. Where my children - even my cognitively challenged child - are guaranteed an education and a place of value in our society. A day to be grateful and thankful for all the men and women who have given their lives for our freedom from the revolutionary war right up to today in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Okay - so after that pep talk to myself - could I really justify in any way, shape or form feeling sorry for myself? Unfortunately as the day progressed - yes - well not justify but certainly give into a little pity :)
I don't know if it is summer vacation, or being sick, or being difficult but my previously, basically potty trained sweet five year old Jordan has taken huge, huge steps backwards!! Esp that Sun! We had three pools set up in the backyard - Jordan managed to poop in three outfits that day (prior to the twice when friends were actually at our house that night). Large, gross poops. So yes, I threw a little pity at myself as I scrubbed clothes in the sink (no washing machine), cleaned the bathroom (not sure how she does it but there was poop every where!!), with sweat dripping off me (no AC - that window doesn't open). Finally the last time I literally just dumped chlorox bleach on the floor!! On the flip side - the sauna of a bathroom that I was working in had to have beneficial skin properties.
So what does this have to do with friendship? By the time the Raus and the Sobolls got to our house that night for a bonfire/hang out/go to fireworks I was done, didn't want to go near the house, didn't want one more thing to do wrong!! The next few hours (despite two more poopy pants) was like an island oasis in a week where everything I touched came crashing down. Just to sit and laugh and enjoy conversation as the kids played in the backyard was such a blessing.
And a reminder of how precious friendship is - how it should be honored and not pushed aside!! How grateful I am to the friends that are walking this path of life with me!! That listen to me, cry with me, pray with me and most importantly - laugh with me!!
I think my friendships are more serious now than they used to be. I used to be friends with whoever, whenever - now I think I have fewer friends but deeper friendships!! I don't know if that is the fact that I have a child with special needs, or that Sonny travels so much and the kids are so busy that friendship time is more precious, or that I am just getting older (old-er NOT old :)) - but whatever the reason my friendships seem more precious than they did when I was younger!
4th of July was a perfect example of how precious friends are!
It was a challenging day for me- my washing machine had broken down during the week, the day before our TV upstairs had inexplicably stopped working and the clincher - the air conditioning stopped functioning. The biggest bummer about the AC is that the day before I noticed it not working well but hoped it just needed a new filter so I replaced it and didn't open any windows. It was in the high 80s with 80 percent humidity - even through the night so you can do the math to what our house felt like by Sun afternoon!! We hadn't gone to church because of the lovely cough that Timothy and Jordan had picked up.
But I was working on my attitude - it was the 4th of July after all. The day that we celebrate the birth of our incredible nation - where we can live free and prosperously. Where I can take for granted the conveniences of AC, washing machines and cable. Where my children - even my cognitively challenged child - are guaranteed an education and a place of value in our society. A day to be grateful and thankful for all the men and women who have given their lives for our freedom from the revolutionary war right up to today in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Okay - so after that pep talk to myself - could I really justify in any way, shape or form feeling sorry for myself? Unfortunately as the day progressed - yes - well not justify but certainly give into a little pity :)
I don't know if it is summer vacation, or being sick, or being difficult but my previously, basically potty trained sweet five year old Jordan has taken huge, huge steps backwards!! Esp that Sun! We had three pools set up in the backyard - Jordan managed to poop in three outfits that day (prior to the twice when friends were actually at our house that night). Large, gross poops. So yes, I threw a little pity at myself as I scrubbed clothes in the sink (no washing machine), cleaned the bathroom (not sure how she does it but there was poop every where!!), with sweat dripping off me (no AC - that window doesn't open). Finally the last time I literally just dumped chlorox bleach on the floor!! On the flip side - the sauna of a bathroom that I was working in had to have beneficial skin properties.
So what does this have to do with friendship? By the time the Raus and the Sobolls got to our house that night for a bonfire/hang out/go to fireworks I was done, didn't want to go near the house, didn't want one more thing to do wrong!! The next few hours (despite two more poopy pants) was like an island oasis in a week where everything I touched came crashing down. Just to sit and laugh and enjoy conversation as the kids played in the backyard was such a blessing.
And a reminder of how precious friendship is - how it should be honored and not pushed aside!! How grateful I am to the friends that are walking this path of life with me!! That listen to me, cry with me, pray with me and most importantly - laugh with me!!
Monday, May 17, 2010
funny moments
So it's been awhile - reality set in a little too hard when we got home from FL.
.There are plenty of moments that should be recorded here - like the morning I woke up to find that Jordan had pillaged my pantry during the night - there was powdered sugar and rice and permanent marker EVERY WHERE!!! In case you were wondering it takes about six moppings to get 6lbs of powedered sugar off the floor. Later that morning Timothy threw shampoo all over the living room floor so you stuck to my kitchen/dining room and slid across my living room!!
But the funny moments fortunately always seem to out weigh the challenging ones...
Jordan was "reading" her Bible on the way to church on Sunday and saw a picture of Jesus hanging on the cross.
"oh - He died"
"yes - you're right"
"i died too"
"no Jesus died so you don't have to"
"oh - cool"
Timothy running in circles yelling "I run in circles" until he fell over and then getting up and doing it all over again!!
Heather showed Jordan how to do the robot the other day while Jordan was doing her ballet dance - Jordan added it right in. Could be an interesting ballet dance at the recital this weekend!!
Timothy is by far the most verbal child I have had. He will be 2 next month but he is talking up a storm. Fortunately his "nooo" is too cute to irritating :)
We make quite a procession at soccer. I haven't had my stroller the last couple of times because the back of my car has all the costumes (much safer than in the house!!). Last Thurs I dropped Jessi at her field and then drove around to drop off Bethany and park. (Jessi and Bethany play at the same time this year). I got the three little ones out in the lovely sleet and watched Bethany for a few minutes. Jordan decided she had to go potty (one of those love/hate relationships I have - she has a fetish for port-a-potties of all things but I would rather have her in there than having accidents) So Jordan takes off for the potty which is three fields away. I am carrying Nathan - who has rather strong feelings about the idea that we would be out at a soccer game in the sleet, Jordan is running ahead of me and Timothy is slowly following behind! I am sure that we made quite the entertainment! All this was fine except the path between the big fields and the little fields don't match up so Jordan just charged right through a soccer game to get to the potty!! Fortunately the ball was at the other end of the field!!
My favorite right now is that Jordan keeps telling me that I forgot Nathan. She doesn't quite get that Nathan isn't actually her sibling. I think she thinks we "own" him and share him with Jen. Sorry Jen! So she will regularly ask me when Nathan is coming home. Or when we are in the car she will announce - MOMMYYYY - you forgot Nathan!! Or she will ask "where's Nathan?" When I tell her Jen has him she sighs at me like I have inconvenienced her!!
Oh and her random "I love you Mommy"s are pretty special too!!! =)!!
.There are plenty of moments that should be recorded here - like the morning I woke up to find that Jordan had pillaged my pantry during the night - there was powdered sugar and rice and permanent marker EVERY WHERE!!! In case you were wondering it takes about six moppings to get 6lbs of powedered sugar off the floor. Later that morning Timothy threw shampoo all over the living room floor so you stuck to my kitchen/dining room and slid across my living room!!
But the funny moments fortunately always seem to out weigh the challenging ones...
Jordan was "reading" her Bible on the way to church on Sunday and saw a picture of Jesus hanging on the cross.
"oh - He died"
"yes - you're right"
"i died too"
"no Jesus died so you don't have to"
"oh - cool"
Timothy running in circles yelling "I run in circles" until he fell over and then getting up and doing it all over again!!
Heather showed Jordan how to do the robot the other day while Jordan was doing her ballet dance - Jordan added it right in. Could be an interesting ballet dance at the recital this weekend!!
Timothy is by far the most verbal child I have had. He will be 2 next month but he is talking up a storm. Fortunately his "nooo" is too cute to irritating :)
We make quite a procession at soccer. I haven't had my stroller the last couple of times because the back of my car has all the costumes (much safer than in the house!!). Last Thurs I dropped Jessi at her field and then drove around to drop off Bethany and park. (Jessi and Bethany play at the same time this year). I got the three little ones out in the lovely sleet and watched Bethany for a few minutes. Jordan decided she had to go potty (one of those love/hate relationships I have - she has a fetish for port-a-potties of all things but I would rather have her in there than having accidents) So Jordan takes off for the potty which is three fields away. I am carrying Nathan - who has rather strong feelings about the idea that we would be out at a soccer game in the sleet, Jordan is running ahead of me and Timothy is slowly following behind! I am sure that we made quite the entertainment! All this was fine except the path between the big fields and the little fields don't match up so Jordan just charged right through a soccer game to get to the potty!! Fortunately the ball was at the other end of the field!!
My favorite right now is that Jordan keeps telling me that I forgot Nathan. She doesn't quite get that Nathan isn't actually her sibling. I think she thinks we "own" him and share him with Jen. Sorry Jen! So she will regularly ask me when Nathan is coming home. Or when we are in the car she will announce - MOMMYYYY - you forgot Nathan!! Or she will ask "where's Nathan?" When I tell her Jen has him she sighs at me like I have inconvenienced her!!
Oh and her random "I love you Mommy"s are pretty special too!!! =)!!
Friday, April 9, 2010
Florida and back to reality :)
Florida was amazing!! I am so grateful to my in-laws for making it happen. It was really fun to just have time with my oldest two. JJ and Bethany and I were in Vero Beach at my in-laws for about a week and the weather was perfect. We spent ages at the pool and the beach - one day Bethany was literally in the ocean for four hours straight!! It was really relaxing and fun. My brother-in-law, Bob, and niece, Lucy were there as well. It was great to actually spend time with them - I feel like usually when we have seen them it is rushed or crazy because I am chasing other kids or we are running around doing stuff. Lucy is seven now and fun to be around! We got ice cream on the boardwalk almost every night, went on an airboat ride (saw 25 alligators - my favorite was the baby that Lucy spotted), JJ and I got up early and saw the shuttle launch over the beach, Bethany and I got pedicures (her first), saw dolphins and manatees in the river in my in-laws backyard and read a ton of books. And the last day I got up and walked the beach - ALONE!! AMAZING!! (wish I had thought of doing it sooner :)) So funny - until I had five kids I dreaded doing anything alone - now going for a walk by myself is heaven - on a quiet morning beach - beyond heaven!!
So after this incredible trip reality had to set in - but still - it is good to be home. I missed my munchkins!! Didn't really miss the reality of an eternally messy house, toilets overflowing and exploding diapers Not exploding like leaked all over - exploding like fell a part and I didn't realize it until I took off Timothy's sleeper and discovered the diaper had tore and those itty bits of stuff that cling to everything and are miserable to pick up were all over my couch - oh well the couch cover needed washing anyway (thanks to Timothy and Jordan both finding the black marker yesterday :))!! At least Sonny fixes my washing maching!!
Yesterday we met with our ENT about the results of Jordan's CT Scan. Even if it is my daughter we are talking about - in an abstract way it was pretty cool to see the images. The not so cool part is that her sinuses are pretty full. We have tried all the non-surgical techniques over the last three years - esp this year - antibiotics, maintainence antibiotics, neti pot (HAH - that was a joke), nasal spray, prevacid, more antibiotics. If we want to "solve" it or try to - we are pretty much left with surgery where he will remove part of the bone to allow the sinuses to drain better. Jordan is such a different kid when her sinuses are clear - which is happening less and less often - this past winter courses of antibiotics barely touched her infections! The day after she spent the night puking she was actually the most coherent I have heard her - apparently puking out your nose clears your sinuses!!
We aren't fully back to reality yet - everyone is home today - which I love - esp since the weather is gorgeous for early April in MN! I guess true reality is on Mon when all are back in school!!
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Jordan at age 5
"Ta Da"
