Yikes

Has it really been since May 6th?  I have got to get better at this...........  It's not like I am never near a computer.  Such a busy summer - if you can call it that.  I do know it's summer, though, because my allergies are Super Allergies this year.  *sniff sniff *  I am liking the cooler temps.  A big plus since we do not have central air.  I went in to work today, for a few hours, and on the way there my car thermometer said 50 degrees.  Crazy. 

Let's see - job - great, girls - both working :) and staying out of trouble, hubby - just got offered a new job, so things look pretty good here at the homestead.  Ben and Laura (step son and dot in law) will be having their little baby soon.  Don't know if it's a girl or boy, and cannot wait to hold that sweet lil thing. 

On a different note, my sister was diagnosed with Non Hodgkin's Lymphoma last month.  Started Chemo on the 14th.  :(   She has a very supportive hubby, and our small but mighty family is keeping in very close contact with her.  It's so hard when we do not all live in the same area.  I really envy families who live in the same town.  I had that growing up and I wish my daughters would have gotten to experience that. 

Well, the vacuum cleaner is calling my name.   Better run after those dust bunnies.

Why

Why does life get so crazy sometimes?  Monday was my daughter's first high school golf tournament.  So proud of her for trying something new, and having fun, and finding a much needed outlet. 

Then a few days later she is in trouble over grades, and zeroes, and missing homework.............. and grounded, no phone, no facebook..............  and since I'm the parent who is here, I'm the bad guy.  I just get so frustrated.  I talked with her Math teacher, and he said what is holding her back is the missing homework.  ????  She could have a B+.  But instead, she has a D-.  I just hope she passes the class.  Worried that it is too late.  Too close to the final.  Too................  something. 

One day everything seems great, with so many possiblities, and then things start to crumble. 

Hopefully, she can work on all of this tomorrow, and then have her dad check over the homework, and at least pass this class. 

What am I going to do if this happens in two years and we are wondering if she will graduate?

Three things

1. My girls
2. I have a job I like
3. I am married to my best friend

Easter Sunday

What a nice day we had.  Church. Brunch at home. Hike with the doggies and K. Dinner with Hubby, K and S.  S had been camping this weekend with a friend.  K was gone for most of the weekend, but here for brunch and dinner.  The house was very noisy tonight.  Full of laughter, giggles, and stories of what the weekend was made up of.  Then K wanted to go get a movie.  As she drove to the red box location, I was kind of happy sad.  Glad that K and S wanted to watch a family movie (Despicable Me) and sad that in just a few months K would be off at college and it wouldn't quite be the same.  S and I do plan to have fun, but it has been the 3 of us for so long doing girlie stuff together.  Hubby likes it because he doesn't have to go shopping, get mani/pedis.............etc.  Even though he will if asked.  K is growing up.  18 and ready to take on the world.  She wrote the most beautiful essay for her community scholarship.  Just getting to read that essay is priceless to me.  She talked to eloquently about being raised by a single mom who went back to college.............  made me so proud.  I went back to school for my girls.  More so than myself.  I needed to give them a wonderful life and opportunities.  And I wanted to show them how important an education is.  after reading that essay, I realized that K gets it.  I'm sure S does to, she's just not thinking about college right now.  I think she wants to go, but she is only a sophomore, and is busy being a 16 year old girl.  She is golfing, and I couldn't be more proud of her.  She is trying something she has never done before, and is successful.  She has brought her grades up, and is doing so well.  Looks like I have done something right.

Hubby and I seemed to be getting into a routine.  And not a very productive one.  So busy with work, kids, etc.............. life................and not really spending quality time together.  Errands that used to done together were getting done alone, because it was easier/quicker/less of a hassle.  Well, Friday I did something so simple.  I asked hubby to come watch tv w/me on the couch.  He and I snuggled up and he said "we haven't done this in...........like forever".  Then we spent Saturday together.  Ran errands together.  He went into the city with me while I got my hair cut.  We ate lunch together.  Talked.  Reminded  me of what's important. Need to remember to not neglect one area of my life while trying to keep another from falling apart. The world will not end if I don't answer every phone call right away or endlessly check my work email on the weekends or at night.  The girls are doing so well.  Work is great.  I just need to remember to slow down, and realize that hubby is my partner.  And that it's ok to lean on him once in a while. 

What a day.................

Wow.  What a day.  There are usually two of us in the nursing office.  Me, the kind of newbie (been there since July) and my supervisor, who has been there for 13 years (since the school opened).  Well, she is on vacation, and we had one busy crazy day!  I have worked alone before, when she has a day off, and also a week after I started, she went on vacation.  So I can handle it, and I'm glad she trusts me to work by myself................ but today was just plain crazy.  I looked up at the clock and it was 4pm.  ???  I arrived at 7am today and just didn't stop.  I had to leave at 430 to mail the taxes......... yes I put them off until today.  I could have easily stayed to finish up a few things, but I decided to just go in early tomorrow.  Hopefully it will be just a little slower..........

Now to fix dinner and clean up the brownie mess left for me.  Lucky me!

Friday again?

Is time just slipping away?  It seems so strange that March is almost here.  I feel like time passes so quickly, and yet also feel in a rut. In most areas of my life. Exercise, or lack of it. Marriage. Just the day to day stuff.  Is it just the winter blahs?  I need something to motivate me or kick start my doll drum life.  Not sure what that really entails............... but hopefully I will figure it out. 

Gym tomorrow and the start of some spring cleaning.  Maybe that will be the ticket.  I just want to start in  my basement, and work my way up to the top.  3 floors.  Too overwhelming to do all in one weekend, so I thought I would just start with one room in the basement.  Maybe cleaning out a room will also help clean out some of the cobwebs or stress in my day to day life. 

Only time will tell..............

TGIF NOT

What a day.  Work is/was/will be crazy.  I'm on call this weekend.  Even though it was hectic and insane today, I loved it.  I like the energy of a really hectic day.  Working at a therapeutic boarding school is still a little new, but I love it.  Then, I get a call from the sheriff.  Asking me my address, name, and if I know anything about a 98 Subaru..........................  and that he's at my house now, wanting to talk with me about a hit and run accident.   WTF?  Turns out my daughter, who was supposed to drive right to her dad's house, decided to take a little detour to Barnes and Noble/ Starbucks.  While backing out of the parking spot, she scraped/bumped the car (empty) next to her.  Some good Samaritan saw all of this and took down her license plate #.  Yay for them.  >: /       I mean, I'm glad she is being held accountable, but wow is this an expensive lesson to learn.  She didn't think there was that much damage, and left the "scene".  Her dad took her back and talked with the sheriff, and now we have a court date, plus a hefty fine I'm sure, and also a nice repair bill for the car that was parked by hers.  At least the owner seemed pretty chill about it all.  He is going to get an estimate and then let us write him a check.  I hope it all works out.  I'm glad no one was hurt.  But I am still pretty mad.  She gets to pay us back after we pay the fine and the repair costs.  She also will be turning over her iPhone and getting my old cell phone instead.  I was going to ground her, but she never goes anywhere.  She usually drives to work and school.  That's it.  So grounding her really wouldn't teach much.  But turning over her paychecks and phone will at least be a start.  You don't get to have nice expensive toys when you have a debt to pay.  We are also hope full that when the court date arrives, we can maybe get the fine dropped since it happened in a parking lot, with an empty car, and no one was hurt.  Maybe they will also let her do some community service to pay some of the debt.  Fingers are crossed.  And toes.

Hopefully tomorrow will be a better day. 

Epiphany

Today I had an epiphany.  Many people have wondered why I went into the nursing field.  Myself included. I guess I needed a job fast, and as a newly single mom, I needed something that would allow me to provide for my two girls.  My best friend was going through the college catalog with me, and we stopped for minute on the dental hygienist page, and she said you don't want to have your hands in someones mouth all day long so let's keep looking...................  and we pretty much picked RN and the rest is history.  Kind of makes me laugh now.  Having my hands in someones mouth all day?  Where did we think my hands would be when I was an RN?  :)

Anyhoo........ I had one of my kiddos come in and needed me to fix a blister.  Pretty easy stuff, but after I was finished it hit me.  I love this job because I get to do "mom" stuff all day long. I work at a therapeutic boarding school.  I love my kiddos.  I know they are far from home and just need some TLC.  I fix owies (yes, teenagers do get owies), blisters, check for fevers, make appointments, take out stitches.  You get the idea.  Much more than most school nurses because we are able to have a running clinic right on campus.  I love love love love it.  Just happened to have a light bulb moment today. 

Have a good weekend.

Baby come back

Ok, now I have these lyrics stuck in my head.  I think it's an old Hall and Oats song......  Anyway, I'm back.  It has been too long.  Just seemed to get into this slump, with health issues, and kids, and life in general.  A quick recap:  Healthwise, I have been suffering with UC since 2003.  It wasn't diagnosed until 2006, and I really shouldn't complain, since I have a very mild form of it.  Either way, it is very annoying.  I hate it.  The meds were/are not fun.  I thought I had this really great Dr, but it seemed everytime I had a problemo he just wanted me to take some more prednisone and call him in the morning. So in August I made an appointment with a new Dr.  The Gut Whisperer.  No joke.  This is what his website says.  I really do like him. He is an MD, from India, and is also in my network of providers for my insurance.  Yay.  Because of my prednisone use, which I have to say, was not alot, maybe 3 to 4 times a year, I now have osteoporosis.  Yuck.  I looked at all the numbers, and seems it is osteopenia in most of my major bones/joints, and osteoporosis in one hip.  So it's not terrible, but I'm too young for all of this. My other Dr didn't even suggest that I have a DEXA scan.  Dr K wanted one immediately.  So now I'm on Ca supplements, and hopefully next Fall there will be a little improvement, or at least it won't have gotten worse.  Then, I had some bleeding issues.  Not a period, just random open the flood gates type of bleeding.  I had always heard people talk about heavy periods, we all have had them.  This was different.  This was soak through your jeans down to your knees different.  My Dr took a look, and referred me to a OB/GYN surgeon and sent me for an ultrasound.  Girls, any of you who have ever had a transvaginal ultra sound - you are in a special club. The new Dr kind of blew me off, and really didn't do much.  Thought it was a cyst, and didn't really say  much.  ??  She did however want me to come back for a biopsy of the uterine lining.  Well, this was fun.  Very painful.  And I've had two kiddos.  While in the special exam room, she used this microscope to take a closer look, and low and behold, the cyst was actually a fibroid growing down, out of my cervix.  Something that couldn't be seen on a regular vaginal exam.  So, ok, now what.  She said the only way to remove the fibroid was by having a hysterectomy.  Nice.  So had that done, some weird stuff was seen on the outside of the uterus and fallopian tubes.  Surgery had to stop while samples were sent to pathology, and what should have been a 2.5 hour surgery turned into a 6.5.  Poor hubby in the lobby.  He was ready to meet everyone at the Huntsman Cancer Center.  My Dr said this was a sign of a very rare cancer, and she was really worried.  But, it turned out NOT to be cancer.  I was none the wiser, happily under anesthesia.  I recovered well, thought I would feel sooooooo much better, but I pretty much feel the same.  Had it in my head that my UC might settle down.  But got some down time, 2 weeks of laying around, and then back to work. 
Step son and dot in law are expecting a baby.  Woo Hoo.  So  happy for them.  Can't wait for July.  Had a wonderful Christmas.  Step son #2 and favorite girl friend Jessica are engaged.  Woo Hoo. Can't wait to go to the wedding. Step son #3 will be graduating in May.  S turned 16 last week, and K will graduate in June.  Wow.  Busy 7 months coming up.  K has plans to go to the U of U.  I'm glad.  I think she will have so much fun.  We start the process of reserving a dorm room tomorrow.  Guess it will seem more real once I start paying fees.  She wanted to go to U of W, but apparently her father did not actually graduate so no discount for you.  ??  More on that later.  Amazing that people do not actually check resumes and such.  He works as an engineer, and has for 20 some years.  ??? I know it is just one class (or so he says) but come on. 
But, whatever school she picks will be the right one.  And she will be successful. S has been struggling a little.  Just some teenage stuff, so I'm not too worried.  She just needs to grow up a little bit.  And I'm sure it's hard when you look like you are 19 but are really barely 16.  Never had that problem myself.  I never looked like that in high school.  More on that later. 
I am going to make Feb resolutions.  New exercise program to start later today - hitting the gym.  Woot woot!  Also hubby and I are thinking of starting the Clean Program (Dr Junger).  It will sure be easier with him along for the ride.  May try to add a weight loss ticker to the blog.  Hopefully all I have read on the program is even 1/2 true.  If it makes me feel better, it will be worth it.  Just need to get out of this slump.  Without pharmaceuticals. 
TTFN
XOXO