It's the Little Things, You Know

Whilst I was taking a teeny break from blogging....and I didn't realize it until after the fact....I still thought of you. Of course, I whipped that handy dandy cell phone out many times to take pictures with the idea of sharing them with you because that's how I roll.

Today is my one day this week. Sort of. The Boy has to go back to Dr. M. today because we're tweaking meds again. ~sigh~ I sure wish that kid would settle into one or two or three medications for a while and give his Mama a break. I have a free morning and, yes, I am still in my pajamas at 10:43 a.m.

Before The Man went on to his next life adventure, I had the pleasure of accompanying him to the galley on base for a lovely lunch. Every once in a while, the sailors and such get treated to some amazing food. This day was going to be crab legs and T-bone steaks. This was to cost around four bucks and some change. When we found out about this, we knew we were going to be enjoying some good eating. Also, we knew this would be the last time we would do this, so it made it kind of bittersweet.

I am not addicted to my cell phone, but I am addicted to the alarms I set on it to remind me of appointments. I have three kids doing various things with doctor appointments added in for good measure. Using the calendar to helps me remember has been the best feature on that phone yet. Even better than the camera!

I always set my alarms to remind the day before and the day of anything I have going on. I happened to look and guess what? I had a dentist appointment set for the day of good eating. Oh no. I debated for all of five minutes and I called the dentist office to reschedule. I kid you not. Internets, you just can't get this deal out in the "real world"! Did I tell them why I had to reschedule? Of course, not! Suffice it to say, I got my teeth cleaned in a timely manner AND crab legs with steak. Life was good.

Now, don't you agree this was worth calling that dentist to change my appointment time? There had to be a half pound of crab meat in those claws! Note the quaint bowl of shrimp to the side and twice baked potato. I promise we didn't eat supper that night. The kids did, but we didn't.

Still on the subject of cell phones so go with me. Paige came across one of her old cell phones and was able to turn it on. She found a treasure for us on it. There were some pictures she had taken that we couldn't get off at the time because technology wasn't there for us. God bless that child of mine because she can figure out anything she wants to do when it comes to computers and cell phones. This is what she found and was able to preserve.

Those cheeks! Those sweet plump baby cheeks! His face is so thin now and he's a little boy...no longer a baby. The quality of picture isn't the greatest , but I sure am tempted to print and frame this for the sheer sweetness of it.

I'm not sure if my son remembers his pacifiers or is too ashamed to claim it, but I'm so glad we have this picture. That baby did love that paci with all his heart. In fact, we still find them around the house and I'm sure there's plenty more to be found when we go to move.

I just had to put this down because you all know Miss Hope ain't about the scrapbooking and some memories and such just don't need to be lost. There are a few more I might need to share with you I'll try to get on here in the very near future.

By the way....do any of you have an obsession going on? Mine right now is finding new things for my new house. Makenna and I have visions of how we want to decorate and I love looking for steals and deals. I've been searching around for a small table that I can paint. I thought I had one last week at a thrift-like type store here, but the green paint on it was a tad too much for me to consider fighting. I would love to know if any of you have any good home projects going on!

What a Kid can Say

Kids are great people to have around. No, really, they are. My three are a hand full, but they sure keep me entertained at times. Here are a few examples I'd like to share to prove my point.

We all know my son is a major PITA to get dressed for school in the mornings. His system has dumped his medication and it takes a good hour for the day's dose to kick in. Therefore, we endure a lot of screaming, running, and ill acting from him. I literally break a sweat getting his teeth brushed every now and then. (Who am I kidding? Practically every morning.) One morning I was calling him from the bathroom to hurry up and bring his butt in there. Finally, he decided to bless me with his presence. He got to the bathroom door and with a huge sparkly smile on his face exclaimed, "MAMA! LET'S DANCE!" He then proceeded to dance. I could have done this two ways. I could have huffed and puffed and scolded and killed his mood....or I could dance. I decided to dance. We wiggled and jiggled (that would me) and shook our boo-tays for a minute or two. I sang and made up a brushing teeth song on the fly and we were out of that bathroom in record time. It made me laugh. It made him laugh. That was a good day.

While The Man is gone during the week working the new job, The Boy deems it necessary to sleep with me because he doesn't want me to be alone. (Isn't he the sweetest?) I surely don't mind. I've always believed that Mama's bed is the best place in the world and if my kids need it bad enough? They can have it. To this day, my own Mama's bed is the best bed in the world and I always try to find a minute to lay across it when I'm visiting. So, time changed on us and I, for one, truly love the winter hours much better. About a week into the change of time, I was awoken at 5 a.m. to a sweet pat on my cheek and a little voice saying, "Mama, let's start the day!" I cracked an eye to glance at the clock and told him to go back to sleep for an hour. Ten minutes later, that little hand was patting my cheek again with the same request. Again, I told him we weren't getting up until the alarm clock went off. This continued until the alarm clock sounded at 6 a.m. sharp. When I swung my feet off of the bed, he exclaimed, "FINALLY!" and bounded into the living room. I asked him why he didn't just get up and watch television, to which he replied, "I just didn't want to be alone." Mercy, I love that kid. Bless him, the help making coffee and getting breakfast started was right interesting that morning. I sent him to wake up his sisters with a smile on my face. Later, Paige would inquire as to what pot of crack he got into. That's my boy...never a dull moment.

Yesterday, at church, The Boy's class made turkey projects for Thanksgiving. The glue was still wet so we set it to the side to dry. Later on, I heard the following conversation:

The Boy: (wailing and whining voice) Ohhh nooooooooooooo, my chicken is all messed up!!!

Sissy (Paige): Uh, Boy? That's a turkey.

The Boy: Oh.

(pauses for a second)

The Boy: Ohhhh noooooooooooo, my turkey is all messed up!!!!

That middle kid of mine? She's an original for sure. I don't know of another like her and I want to be like her when I grow up. She has her own mind and is right comfortable with it. Every morning she has a bowl of cereal and watches Headline News with Miss Robyn Meade. We all love that Robyn and enjoy getting our news on. Yes, even the ten year old. This morning we were watching it together (rare occasion) when they showed sports highlights. A golfer made a hole in one. Of course, she had to rewind it (love that DVR) and watch it again. She, being the novice golfer, was in awe. I asked her what she would do if she made a shot like that. Her response? "Knowing my luck? I'd be playing by myself and no one would believe me!" That girl has a good head on her shoulders.

How about teaching a teenager to drive? If nothing else will put you on a nerve pill, that will for sure. My girl Paige is getting better the more she drives, but she has a way to go yet. I am not my father, that's for sure. I try so hard to be patient but do you blame me for losing my mind when she pulls my Tahoe out in front of an incoming car? ~shudder~ We have discovered something, though, in this learning experience. She drives better at night. I believe that's because she can't see the world around her to get distracted. She also drives better when she's laughing her butt off. I kid you not. When we get tickled over something while she's driving, she does a fantastic job. Go figure. Her goal is drive her Nana around when we go to South Carolina for a visit. I can't think of a better goal to have.

So, while I am doing the single parenting gig during the week....it's not all bad. I'm so busy my days fly by and at least one of my kids will give me a good laugh by the end of the day. I do treasure my moments with them as instructed by those with kids grown and gone have told me to do. If you're not treasuring a good moment every day? Dance a little bit. You'll be surprised how good it feels.

A Manual, Please

Aren't manuals nifty things? They help you operate new gadgets, figure out how to put furniture together, and what those buttons do on your vehicle dash. I love manuals. Those lovely books keep me sane when my husband decides he can put things together without a consult first. This past weekend, I splurged and got a laptop table. It tilts and everything! It's like the Mac Daddy of television trays! I feel all put together and even more comfortable in my chair as I nose around the Internet.

I love the fact that he put this table together and I hear an "Oh shoot". Apparently, the first line in the manual was "Read manual thoroughly before assembly." Is that right? He, being the man, did not consult and had to take it apart and start over. So goes life with a man, right?

Some times, I wish I had a manual for other things. I am in constant need of direction, help, and advice...and I get right irate if I can't find what I need to help me. Here are some examples of some of the manuals I wish I had:

1. How to Raise a Drama Queen Teenage Girl. (Need I say more? I know what I was like and I see similarities of a sort, but times have changed some and I need to know a better way of raising this girl child of mine so she will embrace life and be a productive citizen in the near future.)

2. How to Reason with an ADHD Kid in the Mornings Who is not Medicated. (This one is important, too. You can't reason with him. I lose my temper because GET DRESSED ALREADY. It's the same fight every.single.morning. I just don't get it and I'm developing high blood pressure from it. Seriously, a nerve pill can only help Mama so much, Son.)

3. How to Cook like My Mama so My Kids Will Say My Cooking is Just As Good. (~sigh~ I know I'll never cook as good as my Mama. I remember telling her as a young child that my Grandma's stew beef was better than hers. I'm sorry, Mama. Just know that your cooking beats mine hands down in your grandchildren's eyes any day of the week.)

4. How to Buy a House That is Perfect for My Family. (Yeah yeah yeah..I know there are thousands of books out there to help the first time home buyer. I don't have time to read thousands of books. I need someone that knows their stuff who will sincerely help me and I won't end up feeling like I've been molested when it's all over. I'm ten kinds of nervous over this and I feel queasy about the paperwork in front of us.)

5. How to Keep Food from Being My Drug of Choice. (Shaddup. I don't need any assvice (advice not asked for) on this. I don't do drugs (ok, I do an allergy pill, purple pill, and nerve pill at night, but they're LEGAL, man) of an illegal nature. I don't drink. Chocolate soothes my savage beast inside but it's killing me weight wise. I just wish I could eat to live instead of live to eat. It's a mental thing and I'll work on it soon. A manual on this would be pretty handy, though. )

6. How to Keep Kids Motivated to Help Around the House. (If I could write this, I'd made trillions! Right now, it's hard to motivate them when I can't find the motivation my own self. I'm mentally tired from single parenting during the week and when you're mentally tired? It's hard to find the physical stamina to get done what needs to be done.)

7. How to a Good Supportive Wife Every Moment of the Day. (My wonderful husband. You might want to pray for him. I do support him and encourage him, but every now and again, I slip up and vent a little too much or take out my frustrations on him. He is a rock and takes my storms without blinking. We are both doing our best right now and I know as hard as it is for me to do this on my own? It's just as hard on him being away from his family. In case you all are wondering...this is kind of a public apology to him *blush*.)

8. How to Accept that Parents do Age and Nothing You Can Do Will Stop It. (I can't stand the thought of my parents aging. Don't they realize they aren't allowed to do this?!? I am just beside myself with worry over my parents and their health, and I just get so anxiety ridden being far away from them when I know they need me.)

As you can see, I need a library full of information goodness. There are rare moments during the day (like now) where I have a second to think. Thinking can be good...or it can bad. I am going to work on making those moments of thinking a good thing. Make my plans of attack on these situations I have going on. Plans are good things, you know.

Right now, I plan on enjoying my moments to myself and maybe find some motivation to get a thing or two done around here. That Man of Mine will be home this evening and I will be able to breathe and find a mental break of sorts. You go on and have a good weekend. Make it count.

Unexpected Blessings

Many people wonder why I haven't been blogging that much. Is nothing happening around The Edge that is blog worthy? Oh, Internets, you have NO idea. It is so busy and crazy, I find that overwhelmed is my name by the end of the day. Shoot, there are days that I wake up and that tidal wave of weariness washes over me before my feet hit the floor.

My husband is working at his new job and I am just so proud of him, I can't hardly stand it. This means that temporarily, we are separated during the week as he has to go three hours away to work this new job. We both decided that we would let him get started working before tackling the job of finding a home in our new town. I also want to let my oldest finish this semester of high school if at all possible. Research shows that the new school district does classes by the year where this school goes by semester. This is all good, but if we let her finish this semester, she can finish four credits to take with her. It's not a sacrifice, but what needs to be done.

This does make it a tad tough all the way around. My son is a fragile being. He adores his Dad and I am told all the time, "That's not how my Dad does it." I am patient and show complete understanding but gently remind him that I am not Dad...I am Mama and this is how I do it. There have been a couple of rough days at school and one day he didn't get his medication. Suffice it to say, he was home with me by noon.

It has bonded me with my girls in that we fell back into the teamwork we had going on when it was just the three of us. They are older and much better at helping and for that, I am so appreciative.

One reason I'm blogging this morning is about taking a breath. We were so rushed this morning. Makenna had to be at school early because she's working with the broadcast club that does the school morning news. She loves being in front of the camera and I want to make sure she's there to do her part. This makes it tough on the little boy who has O.C.D. and has no medication in his system that early. He has to get up a little earlier and it just throws his routine off. It's a crap shoot as to if he will cooperate or not.

I find myself getting all bent out of shape and my voice goes up a few octaves as I try to get his lunch made and us out the door. I am hot and irate and just ready to drop them off and come home for a quiet cup of coffee by the time all is said and done.

This morning as we left, it was still dark. My son was not happy with this because he felt he was going to school at night. I assured him that the sun would be up before his class started in 25 minutes. As I was driving back home from dropping them off, the sun was coming up. We live on the coast so I kind of feel our sunrises are special. The color of the sky was just different, but in a good way. As I drove the five minutes back to my home, I told God how beautiful His work is and how I am blessed to have seen such a beautiful sunrise. My spirits lifted as I had a small quiet talk with my Lord and thanked Him for reminding people just how magnificent He truly is.

I parked my vehicle in front of my home and when I stepped out, I turned and saw something that took my breath away. It was a rainbow. Not just an ordinary rainbow. A vibrant awe-inspiring rainbow. I had to pause a moment just to look and then I snapped together and ran inside to get my camera. I took a picture with my regular camera and one with my cell phone. I won't put the pictures on here because they simply do not do this gift justice.

I could see each band of color separate and precise. From the deep rich violet to the bright red. As I walked back out, I was shocked to see that it was a full complete round left to right rainbow. Even better? It was a double rainbow. Above it in a lighter shade, was another rainbow.

I was so blessed in that moment, I can't even tell you. I was instantly assured that no matter what is going on in my life, He is there. He is still large and in charge and we are all blessed with this gift He has given us called life.

My mother is in the hospital having suffered two mini strokes this week. My husband is away from home during the week and I am running this ship the best I can. We are stressed over buying a home, moving eventually, and how life will be.

I may stress over this stuff tomorrow, but today I choose to embrace the gift God has given me this fine Friday morning. I will thank Him for His blessings that I tend to overlook because all my problems haven't been solved. I will, with joy, accept this unexpected blessing.

The Chief has Retired

This young man joined United States Navy 20 years ago. His grand idea was to serve one term or enlistment and get out and attend college. That was twenty years ago. His incredibly smart brain got him sucked in the nuclear power program and it just took off from there. What an adventure this sailor has had over the span of those twenty years. He got to see the world and prove all those cool commercials you see on television to be true. He started in 1989 weighing not much more than a buck fifty and a head full of dark hair. He has slowed down a little bit since then as the knees have taken a beating working on metal floors in submarines for so long.

I met this sailor in 2001. We were both in our 30's and had some baggage we were toting around with us. Yet, we got past that baggage to discover that we were meant to be together from that moment on. What an adventure I've had in the past eight years. When I met my husband, I was a small town girl content and satisfied to live in that small town forever and ever amen. He showed me our great country by introducing traveling to my life. With him, I flew in an airplane for the first time, went to visit the West, drove across TEXAS (everyone should have to do this at least one time in their lives), and so many other fun things I never even thought about.

Because of this man and his patience and love for life, I found a side of myself that I never knew existed. The side that would leave that small town to see what else was out there. I will never be able to thank him enough.

You and I will never know exactly what he has seen, experienced, and done. He alone will have those memories to visit when he's older and sitting at the end of the day looking over his life. I admit to being somewhat jealous of those memories because I do know they will be amazing.

I am so honored to be a part of this Chief's life. The future is unfolding in front of us and, even though I wasn't there the entire twenty years of his Naval adventure.....I'm right beside him for the next adventure happening now.

Thank you, Chief The Man. Thank you for serving our country for twenty years and for crying when you said good bye. You are the type of person we need defending our freedom for always.

Part 1- Summer 2009 at The Edge

I am just right put out with blogger right now. I had this incredibly long catch-up post about our summer and it just got all wonked up. I must say the happy pills the doctor gave me must be working because I didn't throw the laptop out of the window or lose religion. I simply decided to start all over and break it down into parts. There truly was too much to share to put it all into one post. This way? I get to entertain you more!

This summer found us with a tight budget. What else is new in this economy, right? Can I get an "amen"? I am nothing if not determined. Summer as a child passes too quickly. You wake up one morning and you're ten, the next morning you're 23, grown, with bills, and having to go to work. Summer is a special time and I want my children to remember growing up fondly with smiles as they do something special with their own children.

We discovered the public library for starters. Oh, Internets, Makenna do love her a library. It's like a drug to her and she begs to go get books on a daily basis. Once she hits the door, we lose her until it's time to go. You'll find her in a corner in a chair with 5-10 books beside her. She will already be immersed in a story and won't hear you call her name. I have that child that if we want to punish her (which is rare) or get her to do chores (which is ALL the time), we have to take her books. I love it!!! The Boy loves a good book, he just doesn't want to find them. Therefore, he goes to the children's section to play while I get the pleasure of picking out five books for bedtime reading. He loves for his Dad to read to him and I love to hear them during their night time routine. I've always read to my children....it's just a precious gift you can give them that doesn't cost a dime.

When I found out our base chapel was going to do a morning Vacation Bible School, I had The Man go sign them up. The church we attend was going to do an evening session and that just wouldn't work for my son. Evening time is when he comes off of his medication and how bad would it be for him to get kicked out of Bible School? (I am totally not joking.) Mornings are his prime time and this was a great opportunity to get some Jesus going on for Makenna and The Boy while Paige was working. They had a blast and I'm so glad they got to go. I volunteered and helped a day or two and it was just a pleasure. There were service members who were volunteering and working with the kids. (Volunteering is encouraged in the military and there are medals and such that can be earned. The military is a great supporter of their local communities.) We were sad to see VBS end, but I am so glad to have found such a great morning session for my baby to attend!

I think we also moved to Florida when I wasn't paying attention. This has been the Summer of Storms. It seems we've had thunderstorms every single blessed day. Okay, so maybe it hasn't been every single day, but I can promise you we've had way more stormy days than sunny days this summer. I told my Daddy that it's to the point that when I hear thunder? I know it's time to cook supper. It cut down on outside activities drastically. If it wasn't raining, the humidity was so thick you felt like you were breathing water. No lie.

I also started delegating household chores more. No longer do I stand guard over the laundry and dare anyone to touch it. Both of the girls are able to wash and dry loads now because, dangit, I need help around here! I feel confident with Paige's cooking skills. No, she's not a gourmet chef, but she can follow directions with the best of them. Not to mention, she can cook a mean omelet. I've never been able to master the omelet but she has it perfected. It was time for Makenna to take her turn in the kitchen. I've had her helping me with simple things right now and her specialty dish is Shepherd's Pie. I keep telling Paige she will have many friends in college because she knows how to cook and do laundry.

Something else happened that was really special to me. My husband came into our relationship with a tattoo. For those of you who know him, I know you're probably shocked because he doesn't seem the type to have a tattoo. What can I say, I calmed him down but good! This tattoo had the initials of his ex-wife. Uh oh. It's not all bad, though. This is how my son got his name and there is no other name in the world more perfect for him. So there were three initials. Many times I studied that tattoo on my husband's arm. Finally, it was decided that because the initials were V. P. T., all we needed was an "M" in there for Makenna. We have been together eight years, married for almost six. It took a while for him to come around to the thought of needles. He is not very strong when it comes to the needle. How he managed to get the tattoo in the first place is beyond me. I'm thinking he may have had some liquid courage at the time....and that's something he doesn't do anymore. The perfect opportunity presented itself this summer and he bit the bullet and got it fixed. I am so very proud of that symbol of love on his arm. These children are our world and they know it without a doubt.

This your first installment of how the summer went. We did a few more fun things I'm going to share in future posts. I may have neglected the blog for a month or two, but I had you in the back of my mind because pictures were always taken!

Since blogger is still acting all wonky, the pictures are out of order according to how I talked about them. Sorry, but I can't switch them around for some reason. Enjoy and I'll be back sooner rather than later!


Baby Girl thought making biscuits was awesome!

See that line of storms? I took this picture to send to Neighbor Debbie when she was in Miami visiting in-laws. Everyday we had storms come through with dark ugly clouds. This was around 4 p.m. and the street light is already on. Crazy, I tell ya!

How cool is this?? I love how the tattoo artist was able to make the "M" blend right in. It is in blue to be separate from the "V" and the "P". I went with The Man to talk to the guy and he asked if I wanted my name or initial on there. "Oh NOOOOOO, " I replied. "I don't want any part of that voodoo. I got the ring and birthed the kid, so I am good!" For a while, Paige would pick on Makenna and tell her "you're not in the circle so HA!" Girlfriend can't say that anymore!

My baby loves this section at the library. I usually pick out his books and sit to the side and let him have playtime while Makenna gets her stack of books. I highly encourage visiting your local public library.

Bible School rocks!!! Crocodile Dock was the theme and the crocodile hat was too cute.

I understand

Yes, I understand I am a bad blogger. I accept this and fully resolve to make it all better.

Soon.

You see, school started back but that didn't slow me down. Different types of appointments took the place of the summer appointments and running around took a whole new frantic meaning.

I've had thoughts I've wanted to share with you all. Ohhhhhhh, the thoughts I've had. So many that I'm afraid I may have lost some in the recesses of my brain and they'll never have a chance to be shared with you. Moving on now because that just makes me sad.

Tomorrow my Makenna has surgery on her sinuses. I have watched this sweet child of mine very closely the past month or so and I've noticed a few things. The bridge of her nose always looks bruised. She has dark circles under her eyes from waking up constantly to nose bleeds, therefore getting no real rest. She sleeps when she gets home from school and she has never been a child to do that...unless sick. Her skin is so very pale. Middle of winter pale. She doesn't look like she had an amazing summer full of fun and sun (she's felt too badly to go outside much). Her beautiful white blonde hair has lost it's luster. It has a dull blonde look to it now. I know part of it is from aging, puberty, and etc. Her sister went through this. It just doesn't look healthy. She doesn't look healthy. I've got to do what I can to get her well.

I have sweet pictures of my Boy's first day of school. He has such a love for Kindergarten. My focus has been fully on him for long. Now, he's doing great and thriving. I'm doing my best to step back and let him breathe, find his way in Big Boy School, and just be five. I am just in constant awe of this little guy who has just blossomed before our eyes. He has become a wonderful source of entertainment around our home.

That Miss Paige. Whew. Girlfriend had herself a hard summer but I think she's going to be okay. She started off her Sophomore (Sophomore? When did I get a kid that old??) on a strong foot with studying and being on top of her work. Because of some not so good summer decisions, her cell phone now no longer works between the hours of 10 p.m. and 6 a.m. Smartest thing we ever could have done. Being fifteen is hard. If you had it easy at fifteen? Then hush. You are rare and the rest of us don't want to have to beat you up over it. I love my Baby Girl and I know she's going to come out shining and better for having learned the hard way.

I know I have to do a Summer 2009 post. Finances didn't let us take a nice fancy vacation. I scrounged around and was able to find us a few fun things to do that didn't break the bank. We were together as a family and made some amazing memories. Yes, I have pictures and will share with you soon.

Have I mentioned my husband retires in a little less than a month? Have I mentioned that I have never been so stressed in my entire flippin' life? I have this sense of urgency overcoming me all the time. This is why Makenna is having surgery tomorrow. This HAS to be done before retirement. I want to get taken care of what I can before having to learn to deal with a whole new insurance. Dentist appointments have taken on a whole new meaning. It's just crazy, I tell you. We've had eyes checked and new glasses bought (yep, got a picture of those, too!).

I have become very dependant on my cell phone. I have alarms for any and all appointments. It goes off constantly, Internets. If I lose my phone? I am so up a creek without a paddle. What's even worse is that I make Paige and The Man put the alarms in their phones...just in case I lose mine. Oh, what have I become???

I have become "that weird woman". I called today to make a doctor's appointment for some time in the next week. When asked why I needed to see the doctor, I replied, "Because I'm crazy." Appointment Lady laughs and says she really doesn't want to put that down as the reason. She said..."What about a med check?" I said, "Oh yeah, that's perfect, because we're gonna be CHECKING some meds OUT!" Bless her, she was a good sport. I believe she knew I wasn't joking but was keeping it lite so I didn't flip out on the phone with her.

I also want to say I've done this post today because my very good friend Girlfriend Down the Street was fussing about my poor blogging skills. G.D.S. keeps me tickled on face*of*books all the time. She no longer lives close to me, but I'm keeping her close to my heart. We Southern Gals tend to do that, you know.

Tomorrow morning at 6:30 a.m., I'll be handing over my child in the care of strangers. I'll sit and worry until I touch her face again. I'll pray and text and probably snap at The Man because he's sitting there and he loves me enough to take it. If you are so inclined? Prayers that all goes well will be truly appreciated.

Next week should be my time to truly catch up. I will be here at The Edge keeping Makenna company as she recovers some. Not sure how many days she'll get off...it all depends on the surgery and how extensive it ends up being when he gets up in those sinuses of hers.

You all keep playing nice....I'll be back shortly!

Plain Confusing

I am full of confusion and because of that, I am causing mass confusion in my family.

For example, we really don't know where we're going to be in a few months. The Man has gotten a very sweet job offer here in the state of Georgia. It's not back in South Carolina where my heart wants to be. I am having such a hard time with that. I told God what I wanted. Isn't that how it works?

Humble has become my middle name.

What I want may not be what He has planned. It's very hard for me to accept that. What's wrong with wanting to go home? I want to be near family and friends. I want to go visit them when I feel like it. I want to live close enough that they might even come see me! This is has just about broken my heart.

There's nothing wrong with where the job offer is. It's 100 miles closer to my family than where I am now. That'll make it easier on us to go visit them. It's not close enough for them to come visit us, but I guess I can deal with that or keep getting my feelings hurt over it. I'll let you know when I'm done being hurt....right now, I'm just not there.

Carla-Girl and her family are supposed to be heading to the same area as her husband got a job offer at this place first. I have surely neglected mentioning her lately. They, too, are heading into retirement and dealing with most of the same issues we are. There's a slight difference, though. That woman is amazing. She is a planner, researcher, decorator....just all around good at this stuff. She is the daughter of a retired Marine, so she knows how to move on to the next area. I am in constant awe of her abilities (and right jealous, too!) to make situations work and she's looking out for me, too. I am so blessed to have her guiding me with things like house hunting, Realtors, schools, and etc. I would honestly be lost without her help and patience.

I can't tell you how many hours we've sat on the computers looking at houses online. I've never bought a house before, so this is exciting and thrilling to this ol' girl. Lists are being made of the "must haves", the "no ways", the "wish it had this", and the "pinch me I'm dreaming if I get this" items. I am discovering what's the harm in dreaming if you can keep it realistic in the end?

I'm causing confusion with my family members here because one minute? I'm declaring we're moving in September. The next minute? The kids and I are staying here until end of November. I am so passionate and firmly believe whatever I'm talking about at that moment. It's wearing us all out.

In my Perfect World, everything will fall into place and I'll have perfect hair and eyebrows when it happens. Realistically? We'll be flying by the seat of our pants and I'll have a first aid kit clutched in my hands full of bandages and antibiotic ointment for the bumps and bruises we're bound to get during the ride.

Did I mention my husband accepted that job offer? Yeah, he did. I just can't breathe good until I know he's signed, sealed, and delivered. When he goes to that first day on the new job, I'll be able to shake off a bunch of stress.....I think.

Just promise me I'll have a place to put my gorgeous Christmas tree this December and I'll probably make it.

Yeah, I'm wondering why I'm not on nerve medication, too.

Need More Gumption

It's official. I suck at blogging this summer. Surely you can recall where I mentioned around May-ish, when the kids were getting out of school, how busy I anticipated I was going to be.

I didn't lie.

Dear Joseph and the Baby Lambs, have I been busy. My cell phone has become my life-line the past couple months. I put alarms in all the time. I have to in order to keep it all straight and flowing. The Man does the same in case my phone wanks out on me. It's a crazy system we have working and I almost expect it to tumble like a deck of cards at any given moment.

Take for instance the past couple of weeks.

Back in the Spring, Makenna started having nosebleeds. Alot. Out of nowhere, her nose would just start pouring. We truly chalked it up to allergies, dry sinuses, etc. etc. I was getting calls from the school nurse for a while there about 3-4 times a week. "Hi Ms. Hope, Makenna has a nosebleed again..." was what I would hear. One day we had to go get her because it wouldn't stop. A trip to the doctor's office and our Doctor decided to refer on out to an ENT because, as she put it, "they have better equipment to see up there than I do". Hey, there were no arguments from us!

Of course, I then had to do some referral dancing. The doctor they were going to send her to didn't have an opening until September. That didn't sit too well with me. I don't know what our future plans hold and I wanted whatever wrong fixed or taken care of. I did some calling and begging and Southern Charming and we got that straightened out quick.

Two weeks ago we saw the ENT. I was seriously thinking she was going to get a blood vessel cauterized. You know, something simple.

Not Makenna.

He decided to put her on a ten day round of antibiotics followed by a CAT scan. Something wasn't right up there in her head.

*pauses and waits for you to laugh with me over that last remark*

We went this past week for the CAT scan and diagnosis. My child has a "Deviated Septum" . Of the highest order. Quick-like, in our terms? The cartilage and all going down the middle of her nose separating one side from the other is all messed up. Apparently, in the past ten years of her life, she has had a broken nose. A BAD broken nose. I have no idea when or where. I have a vague memory of this past school year where she was bumped on the nose during P.E. and had a little bruise there. Maybe it happened then? The doctor wasn't concerned about all of that at all. According to him, it's very common and most people think they have allergies and are prone to chronic sinusitis, when it's a deviated septum and fixable with surgery. I fully admit that we had the scan in hand to take to the doctor's office and as we sat in the truck waiting to go in, I might have slipped them out to see. I don't have a medical degree, but when I saw that deviated line? I said, "HOLY COW!" It was that bad. Even our untrained eyes could see it and we discovered we were right when the doctor showed us during the office visit on the proper lit up machine.

We were given options. We could leave it alone and she could suffer with the sinusitis from here on out or we could let her have a surgery to fix all these nasal problems (a couple other problems have arisen due to this). I immediately told him to let's fix this!

First available surgery was the day before The Man's retirement ceremony. No thanks. No can do. I would end up in the nut house, for sure. Next available date was October. Oh noooooo. I don't even know if we'll be here then! Crap. We went ahead and took the October date.

I received a call the next morning. There's a cancellation for August 20th. You know I snatched it right on up! That was just perfect. I had already started trying to figure out how to handle being on my own (The Man plans to head out to start new job end of September) with three kids and one of them having a 24 hour hospital stay. I told the nurse I owed her big time. I swear I'm going to send her flowers or chocolate. She really worked hard to get Makenna worked in at an earlier date.

Ya know.....I'm so ready for things to slow down around here. Instead? It's moving faster and faster and faster. Some times, I feel like I'm on this wild ride I just can't get off of.

It's sad when the high light of your day is sitting in your chair looking at real estate online. Just typing that made me take a deep breath. I'm so excited about hopefully getting a new home to call my own....to paint walls.....have counter space in the kitchen.

The Man and I also get to upgrade our cell phones soon. If that's not enough to tickle a gadget lover, I don't know what is!

Now I'm off to try and get a few more things done on a big Saturday afternoon. I promise the blogging is going to pick up now. If I don't? I may miss out some memories for my family!

P.S. I got to try and remember to show you how we rigged my computer cord. It has shamed Paige to no end.

Information for Old Parents

Just so you know? If you have children who are tweens and older...you are considered old. I'm just saying.

There are many of us who have given our little darlings a cell phone. The cell phone has personally kept my oldest, Paige, off of nerve medication. The Man and I purchased the phone when she was ten because when she would go visit her biological father, he would refuse to let her call me or contact me. Then came the panic attacks. It had potential to get massively ugly, but all worked out in the end.

I have recently discovered "special" rings for phones. These rings are high pitched in nature and can not be heard by the average adult. I guess cranking up the radio as teenager and going to concerts did our poor ears in.

They use these rings in school and around parents to notify them of text messages and phone calls.

I know the ring sounds work in this fashion because we have played the sound behind my son without him being aware. He immediately covers his ears and screams to turn it off. This has been tested a few times with the same results.

The Man and I never heard the first sound. Nothing. Nada.

My beautiful daughter Paige has lost use of her cell phone for a while and it's in my possession. I have no problem going through and reading her text messages and looking at her call history. Is it invading her privacy? Uh...no. She is not grown, educated, got a J.O.B., and living in her own home. Therefore, as payer of the MINOR's bill, I have full authority to see what my child is doing.

I kept hearing a faint noise from her phone. It was the sound of a missed call. I recognized it as it sounds like the one on my own cell phone. I'd check and lo and behold, a text message or missed call. I had forgotten about that special ringer until, out of curiosity, I checked what ringer she was using. It's called "Mosquito" something or another. Ah ha. It is no longer set on that ringer. I got a nice generic ringer going on that Mama is sure to hear loud and clear. Far be it from me to miss one of her phone calls or text messages.

We need to keep our eye on this generation of teenagers. They are smart with technology......way smarter than we are. It worries me to no end what my son will be capable of when he reaches this age. How will I even begin to keep up with him?

As my facebook status says right this minute:

Miss Hope figures that if I can get my husband transitioned to civilian life, do another major move, keep my ADHD kid smooth, refrain from kicking my teenager's butt, and not start smoking again? Then I am going to throw myself the biggest party EVAH. I kid you not.